Magnus's Portal
by KoMoose
Summary: "We are shadowhunters," the leader started, with a cool voice. "My name… is Alexander Lightwood, my sister Isabelle Lightwood, and our adopted brother Jace Lightwood. And this is Clarissa Fairchild, and our friend Simon Lewis." The room was silent. Read
1. Interrupted

Characters, story... ext belong to Cassie!

Now each chapter is told by a different character and takes place somewhere between City of Glass and Clockwork Prince. Please forgive me if I misspent any of those crazy words of hers, like parabatai...

Enjoy! Review please 3

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Tessa:

"Now," Consul Wayland announced, "down to the last order of business."

"By the Angels." Will moaned, and laid his head on his parabatai shoulder.

"Will, for god sakes it's only been an hour." Jem whispered to him. His voice was rough from the night of coughing. Will had not mention it at breakfast, though she knew he was in there with him and Tessa who –cause of her room placement- had heard him spoke nothing of it as well.

"I'm so bored though." Will whined, but thankfully sat up strait when Charlotte scolded him.

Consul Wayland had just opened his mouth to start the 'last order of business' then the large double doors opened and a young woman that Tessa did not recognize walked in.

"Yes?" Consul Wayland stood as the lady approached his seat.

She bowed her head respectfully as she spoke. "Consul, there are four…" She looked behind her towards the doors as though the devil was beyond them. "There are four young nephilim and one vampire here to request help from the Enclave."

Whispers erupted immediately. _Will doesn't look bored anymore_, Tessa thought.

Jem reached for her hand as though reassuring himself that she was still next to him.

"Why is it so strange?" Tessa asked, "I thought shadowhunters asked assistance from the Clave all the time."  
"It's not the shadowhunters that are causing the nervousness, my dear." Jem said, staring at the doors.

"It's that a vampire is with them." Will finished.

"And," Charlotte added from behind, "that they have come unannounced, my dear."

Tessa listened as the voices conversing around her grew louder and louder.

'A vampire?' they said 'With nephilims?'

'Who dares to interrupt the enclave?'

"Quite!" Consul Wayland shouted. "Who are they Melanie?"

The women in front of him –Melanie- shook her head. "I don't know Consul, they refused to give me their names. But I recognized none of them."

That brought with it its own sweeps of murmurs.

"It is very rare indeed for a nephilim to not be known, and even more to refuse to give their name." Will said in Tessa's ear. She could hear 'finally, something interesting' screaming through his tone.

"Well, let's not keep them waiting shall we? Let them in."

"Even the night child?" The women asked.

"Yes Melanie, all of them. We shall see what this interruption is about." Consul Wayland added after the women had left.

They didn't have to wait in suspense for long, not a minute after the women left -closing the doors behind her- did they open again. Tessa breath caught in her throat, the whole room fell into silent, -even Will- as the mysterious, unknown nephilims and the vampire walked into the room. Two boys lead the pack, -two of the four nephilims Tessa knew by the ruins on their bodies. They were dressed in something similar to shadowhunter armor but it did not look like what Will, Jem or even Charlotte wore. Tessa made a slight gasp, one of the gentlemen looked like William. Black, straight hair was common, Tessa knew, and his features weren't as thick as Will's, nor did he have Will pure beauty but he had the same dark blue eyes. She had never encountered someone with the same colored eyes as Will prior to this moment. The boy next to him had honey hair and matching eyes that scanned the people around him, a hard, impassive look on his face. _Now he_, Tessa couldn't help thinking, _could give William a run for his money in looks_. He looked like an antagonistic angel straight out of a painting. The two girls -no older then Tessa herself- flanked the men. They were in the exact same armor, with a few moderations but not many. The girl behind the golden boy had hair as red as fire, her cloths clutched to her skin in a way that made Tessa's skin burn. She refused to look sideways at neither Will nor Jem to see their reactions to this girl whose clothing looks as if was painted on her body instead of covering it. At lest her shirt covered all her arms but Tessa saw the tops of ruins peeking out through the low neck line, and worse still… her legs were bare! Back leather looking trousers did not pass her knees. Tessa looked away hastily but looked back as she saw the look on the lady's face. It was a mask of fear that was noticeably trying to be hidden. Her eyes glued to the man's head in front of her. The girl furthest away from Tessa had the same look as the young man with Will's eyes, which she had as while. Tessa did not even glace down from the girls face in fear of what she'd see. Instead, her eyes rested on the vampire between both nephilim girls. Not as though they were escorting a prisoner as Tessa had seen some nephilims walk near downworlders, but as though they were his protector. He didn't look like any vampire she'd ever seen, the only way she could describe it was that he looked human. They stopped in the middle of the room and looked up at Consul Wayland, not speaking. Everything was still, no one spoke. The golden man's eyes moved more slowly across the faces around him, the second his eyes hit Tessa's she looked away, and felt Jem's hand tighten around hers protectively.

It was weird, Tessa thought; the way they stood showed their positions. The young man with Will's eyes was the leader, and the golden one was the protector. She refused to look at the two young ladies –if you could even call them that- again too see if she could identify their rolls as well. And the vampire… well.

"So…" Consul Wayland finely broke the silence, "First I think introductions are in order." He looked at the visitors expectantly.

The one with Will's eyes looked nervous; he looked around his group, too the golden one, who nodded. Tessa watched as his hand moved behind him and the girl with the bare legs took a told of it.

"We are shadowhunters," the leader started, with a cool voice. "from the-" He was silenced by a look from the golden one that Tessa did not see. He cleared his throat and continued. "My name… is Alexander Lightwood, my sister Isabelle Lightwood, and our adopted brother Jace Lightwood. And this is Clarissa Fairchild, and our friend Simon Lewis."

The room was silent.


	2. Bad Idea

Alright here is the next chapter! I forgot to mention that Izzy and Simon got together early ;) and that I didn't put William's sister in.

Enjoy and review please :D

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Jace:

"Bad idea…"  
"You've said that."  
Jace looked at Clary. She didn't look scared but her voice gave her away and she had all the right to be! Jace took her hand and kissed it. _Proper for the time frame_, he thought cursing Magnus for the… 100th time? God, he lost count.

"It seemed worth repeating." He said flashing his signature grin and got the reaction he wanted. Clary smiled. She drew her hand back but not before flicking his fingers tips.

"What do we say? What do we tell them?" Simon asked, his knee was bouncing up and down at a very annoying speed. It took all of Jace's willpower not to reach out and punch him.

"'WE'-" Alec snapped at Simon, "-say nothing, Jace and I do all the talking. You say nothing at all. None of you say anything at all, do you understand?"

Simon glared at Alec but Jace knew he would obey; Simon was scared stiff, as much as he tried to look brave in front of Izzy –Jace shuddered inwardly; he still couldn't wrap his head around that relationship- a blind man could see the fear in his dead face.

Jace punched Alec gently on the knee and motioned for him to follow as Isabelle started to coo to Simon softly. _Great timing_, Jace thought.

"I'm gonna kill him." He said when he and Alec were out of ear shot.

"You're not going to kill him, Jace, no matter how many times you say you are." Alec retorted, almost sounding bored.

"Bull shit I'm not!" His voice rose and he forced it to be lower. "How did he get that spell wrong?"

Alec's eyes went wide, "Wait who… oh, I thought you were talking about Simon."

Jace wanted to hit him. This was all Magnus's fault, and the clincher was the fact that it was support to have been a simple portal from Idris back to New York, that was it!  
"How in the angels did he screw up?" Jace hissed.  
"I don't know," Alec answered calmly, " I've-"

"Guys!" Clary's voice echoed in the marble hallway of the Enclave.

Jace looked to see the girl walking back towards them.

"You…" She stuttered looking at Isabelle then quickly away, red faced. Jace wanted to laugh at this woman, in her petticoat, and corset though he did feel bad for her; they must be quite a shock in their 20st century clothing. Izzy more then anyone alts.

"You may go in… all of you." She added, with a sharp look towards Simon.

Jace saw red in Simon's cheeks as he blushed. Yes, he knew he had imagined it, but still.

Clary walked towards Jace and took his hand as they moved towards the large double doors that opened to, as far as Jace could guest, the room where the Enclave met.

"Stay behind me." Jace whispered to Clary and the doors opened. He felt her give his hand a squeeze before letting it go to stand beside Simon like they had discussed before they had even entered the building. He knew that Izzy was on Simons other side behind Alec. Alec and Jace up front, Clary and Isabelle take up the rear, and Simon stays smack dab in the middle. Alec and Jace exchanged a look that Jace took to mean 'Can't turn back now can we?' he gave his brother an encouraging nod, which Alec returned as the big double doors began to open. Alec froze, but Jace quickly, without anyone noticing nudged him forward. Everyone was staring at them, some angry, some opened mouthed with faces bright red. Jace looked around slowly, coldly but he couldn't help but marvel at the seer size of the room, though he let no one see him do it. It was as though the room was caved out of one football field –Which he had learn form Luke- sized slab of marble. The wooden chairs were the only thing not made out of marble. Everyone was dressed in the same Victorian clothing as he had seen everywhere alts with the exception of a few with shadowhunter gear on. Old shadowhunter gear.

Jace's stare connected with a girls but she broke the connection before he could even get an eye color. They came to a stop in the middle of the room, facing who Jace could only guest was the head Consul. It wasn't until he felt someone squeeze his hand did he realize that he was holding Clary's.

"So…" Said the man they faced, his hair was bleached blond and his eyes were blue. He looked like someone Jace had seen in a photograph in the library at home but he couldn't place him. "First I think introductions are in order."

_Alec_, Jace almost said out loud. He caught the hesitation his parabatai made but doubted anyone alts would recognize it as such. You had to know Alec for years to pick up things like that. "We are shadowhunters," Alec began, "from the-"

_No!_ Jace shot him a look; Alec caught it and rolled right through the interruption as if it never happened. They had agreed to use there actual names, the odds that any relations of theirs were there were slim to none and if someone who new them was there they could tell the truth. We're distant relatives and had lost contact with them a long time ago.

"My name is Alexander Lightwood, my sister Isabelle Lightwood, and our adopted brother Jace Lightwood. And this is Clarissa Fairchild, and our friend Simon Lewis." He didn't point anyone out; just let the names echo through the room. The minute he stopped speaking, Jace new they had made a horrible mistake. The room was silent, but not the same silence they had walked into, this was a 'what the hell' type of silence, the kind that let you know you really just screwed up. Jace knew the silence well.

A man stud up, his face looked as hard as plaster. "I'm sorry, can you repeat that."

Alec and Jace looked at each other. In all there scenarios of how this situation played out this wasn't thought of. Not being believed.  
"Did you not catch it?" Jace said.

Alec shot him a look, "Jace!" He hissed under his breath, but it did no good.

"There is no way you are Lightwoods." The man said with a laugh in his voice.  
"And why not?" Snapped Isabelle.

Jace almost rolled his eyes, so much for no one talks. At lest the vampire still had his mouth shut. And Jace pleaded with the angels to keep it that way.  
"Because…" the man said, glaring at Isabelle, "I am Benedict Lightwood, and my family and I are the only family with the name of Lightwood in the shadowhunter world."


	3. Lightwoods and Warlock

Will:

Will wasn't sure what to think or do. _More Lightwoods_, was the only thought he could string together. He turned to look at Jem but he was just staring at the new members of the Lightwood, family paying no heed to Will.

"Tell us who you are!" Benedict yelled. The man's face was turning bright red.

Will smiled with pleasure at the sight.  
"That's enough." Shouted Consul Wayland, putting up his hands for silence, but he didn't receive it.

"Can someone explain this before we have a full blown fight on our hands?" Someone yelled over the others.

Will leaned over to Jem, "Why would you want to do a thing like that?" He whispered into his ear. Jem, despite trying very hard not too, smiled.

"I'm going to kill him." The man named Alexander said under his breath, though Will doubted that anyone one alts heard above the shouting. His sister, Isabelle –who William tried his best not to look at- replied.  
"I'll beat you to him."

"Everyone!" Yelled Wayland, "Please sit down." He said softer as the shouts turned to whispers, and from that, to silence.

"I love this meeting." Will whispered only to be swatted in the back of the head by Charlotte.

"Hush now William, please."

"Please explain this." Consul Wayland asked politely leaning forward so his whole torso was over the banister.

"What is there to explain?" The man who had been introduced as Jace Lightwood spate in irritation.  
"Jace."

Will heard someone whisper, and by the tone of the voice he guest it was one of the women.

"We have told you who we are," Jace continued, "I am not sure who this man is, and why his gets to claim the rights_,_" he hissed, "to the name of Lightwood, but we told you who we are and we need help."

Benedict opened his mouth but Wayland spoke before him.  
"Forgive us young nephilim, we were just unaware that another family with the name of Lightwood existed outside of London. Where is it that you come from?"

Will saw something change in all their faces, but before he could pick it out they were all stone faced again.

"We hail from the Institute in south Africa." Alexander answered.

"And the Night Child?" Wayland asked.

The vampire stiffened, and stared at his feet. Will watched in amazement as the Fairchild girl, quickly but surely brushed her hand across the back of the vampires.

_I understand why she's with the Lightwood_, he thought disgusted. Then he thought of Tessa, her hand till in Jem's, the feeling of her lips and regretted the thought immediately. Who was he to judge her for being with a downworlder?  
"Simon is from New York City."

From the corner of his eye Will saw Tessa's eyes widen ever so slightly. The vampire was from her home.

"He became an ally to us when we were there and well…" Alexander turned to look at the vam-Simon then turned back to Wayland, "He just sort of stuck with us."  
"He's a friend." Jace clarified with a hard look at Wayland.

The vamp-Simon looked up at him in shock, as though being called the nephilim's friend was surprising news to him. Will understood why; downworlder and nephilim friendships are a rare thing indeed. Tessa –though accepted by the enclave- was proof that not everyone accepted those kinds of _indiscretions_.

Benedict looked as though he was going to fly strait through the roof, so did Gabriel. Will turned to look at Gideon, he didn't look angry, just shocked. Will had grown fonder of Gideon. It had only been a few weeks since he had moved into the institute but they all found him quite a pleasant fellow. _Sophie_, Will thought of her fondly. He had watched from the door as she and Gideon trained together the other day, -alone- and it made him even fonder of Gideon. He was sweet with her, never cross when she messed up, and was always smiling. Will had see in ever word, every look on Gideon's face that he was very affectionate towards their little Miss. Collins and he was thankful for it. Sophie deserved to have someone be sweet on her.

"Would you like to tell us why you have come today to ask the Enclave for help?"

Alexander opened his mouth to speak but his brother was louder and faster.

"We seek the knowledge of someone's whereabouts. We have reason to believe you might know where he is." He said.  
"What?" The vampire looked at his companions curiously.

Apparently he was not in on the plain.  
"We are looking for a warlock. Magnus Bane."

"OH NO WE'RE NOT!" Alexander yelled.  
"Yes we are."

"Umm… Magnus?" Will whispered to the warlock behind him as the argument continued.

"Yes?"

He was answered.

"Do you what to… um…" Will trailed off as the conflict of the two -no wait, all four know including the vampi-Simon- grew louder.

The warlock leaned forward, his chin coming to rest on Will's shoulder, annoyingly.

"No." He said flatly, "I'm going to sit here and watch the show."

Wayland started to speak but he shut his mouth. Everyone in the hall was staring at them, no one knowing what to do.

Magnus started to sit back when Alexander shouted, "We are not going to Magnus! We will figure this out on our own. That is final!"

Magnus froze, and Will felt him tense behind him.

"Do you know them Bane?" Henry asked, "Well, they know you."

Will hadn't heard Magnus answer.

"Look, it was _your_ stupid, glittery warlock that got us into this." The Lightwood girl –Isabelle- said to her brother. "He-"

"Mute point." Interrupted the Fairchild girl, her eyes were staring past Will to Magnus. Her eyes were wide, her face as white as snow.

"And why is that Clarissa?" Alexander Lightwood threw his hands up in frustration.

Her eyes never left Magnus, "Well…" Her voice faded away as the three other nephilims and the vampire turned to her and their eyes found Magnus.

Alexander looked as though he was about the throw up, while his siblings looked amused.

"Well…" the vamp-Simon just shrugged, "Found Magnus."

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So I don't know why but I don't think I was able to capture Will's character as well as I am the others... sorry for that, I 'will' ;) try to do better.


	4. Help Unwanted

Magnus:

_"Yes, we are looking for a warlock. Magnus Bane." _

_"OH NO WE'RE NOT!"_

Magnus wasn't sure how to respond to this turn of events. It wasn't as though being wanted was a novel thing for him; it was the detail that these four nephlims and their pet vampire were arguing about him. Well, over him actually.

"We are not going to Magnus," Said the cute one softly, the one with eyes almost identical to Will's, but without the mischief swirling around. "We can't."

Magus watched, stunned as the banter continued.

"Umm… Magnus?"

He leaned forward, resting his chin on William's shoulder -knowing this would irritate him. Its little things like this that make immortality tolerable.

"Yes?" He whispered as though he was whispering to a lover.

"Do you what to…" Will trailed off as the arguing got louder, though, Magnus observed, -dreadfully un-Lightwood like- they were trying to keep their voices down. _How strange_.

"No." Magnus said flatly, foreseeing the end of Williams's question. "I'm going to sit here and watch the show."

Magnus started to sit back when this Alexander Lightwood shouted softly, -which Magnus hadn't realized you could do. "We are not going to Magnus. We will figure this out on our own. That is final."

Magnus froze; he could almost taste how personal this was for the blue eyed Lightwood. What had he done to this child, this boy Magnus had never seen before in his life?

"Do you know them Bane?" Henry asked.

Magnus just shook his head.

"Well, they know you." He finished lamely.

"Look," cut in the female Lightwood, "It was _your_ stupid, glittery warlock that got us into this."

_His warlock? _Magnus was so stunned he hadn't noticed that the Fairchild wasn't partaking in the argument. That she was looking intently at him as though he was a ghost.

"Mute point." She said, not taking her eyes off of him. He returned her gaze, raising his eyebrows in question.

"And why is that Clarissa?"

Magnus heard Alexander's cool, calm voice crack as though instead of a young man he was a young boy. Magnus's eyes begged him to look at the blue eyes of the master of that voice but he stayed put, not braking eye contact with Miss. Clarissa.

"Well… found Magnus." He heard the vampire say.

_Well_, he thought,_ no use hiding anymore_. Magnus stood up and made a point in making eye contact with each one of them. The female Lightwood and golden one looked truly amused, while the vampire and the Fairchild were staring at him with identical, startled expressions –as though he were their parent who had just caught them spoiling their dinner with sweets. He saved blue eyed Alexander for last. The boy meet his eyes for a fraction of a second then spun around, his back towards Magnus as though not seeing him made him non existent. Magnus fought the urge to strike him.

"You're looking for me?" Magnus asked as softly, and steady as he could.

He heard Alexander moan as though he had just been stirred with a stick.

"Magnus," the golden Lightwood walked over to where the warlock was now standing, "We need your help… right?" He almost hissed to last word, turning his head to Alexander who just shook his head as though he really didn't believe what was going on. Magnus didn't understand why that hurt him, he didn't know this child. Why did it mater what he thought of him?  
"Well I am here to serve." Magnus replied, "How my I help you?"

Jace opened him mouth but Alexander cut him off.

"Not here." He said, he moved to stand by Jace, doing his best to look anywhere but directly at Magnus. "Is there somewhere we may talk in private?" He asked clumsily.

Though the blue eyed boy was only a few inches shorter them himself, Magnus made a show of bringing himself at eyelevel with the young shadowhunter.

"Well…" he said slowly, "there is always my home."

The little shadowhunter's eyes went wide and his cheek darkened. _Ah, will that's one piece of the puzzle solved. I guess…_

"That works." Jace said, "Thank you for your time." He added, turning to face Wayland.

"May I lead the way?" Magnus asked.

Alexander stepped out of his way as Magnus talked towards the doors. He did not turn to see if the four nephilims and their pet were following him. He knew they were.

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Okay so for those of you who don't know 'stir' in that time meant beaten. Just a fun fact! I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter, stay tuned for more! Review please!


	5. Truth

Alec:

They filed out onto the cobblestone road of 18th century London behind Magnus. Alec tried to stay as far back as possible. _Not that it matters know_, he thought,_ he's already seen us… me_. He knew that _his_ Magnus, the one back home in 20th century New York would remember this, would remember meeting them. How much would that screw up their lives, screw up_ his_ relationship with the warlock? And how in the name of the angels were they going to explain this situation to him? Alec could barley explain the situation to himself. They all walked in silence, well, Magnus and Alec walked in silence. Jace had an arm around Clary in a way that was not suited for this place… this time. He was whispering thing into her ear. By the expression on her face they were words of comfort. Isabelle and Simon were walking just behind Alec and he could hear Izzy making comment after comment to Simon about everything from the cloths to the smell of 18th century London and comparing it to the London that she and the rest of the family had been too on Clave business. Alec tried to concentrate on the not-so-subtle differences between the two London's but failed. All he could think about was Magnus. How _this_ Magnus looked just the same as the one he knew. How he walked the same, talked the same, -without all the 20th century words and slang- he even had the same flamboyant, flat out crazy style. Alec couldn't help but smile.  
"Is there something amusing you Mr. Lightwood?"

_How in the world!_ Magnus had not turned around, and there was nothing ahead that could have had Alec's reflection on it.

"Excuse me?" Alec asked awkwardly, he hated how he sounded as though he was meeting Magnus for the first time all over again. He had been with the warlock for months, he should not be nerves. In fact he should be furious with Magnus for messing up this badly! Magnus still did not turn.

"I asked if… here we are."

Magnus stopped so suddenly that if Alec had been a mundane he would have slammed right into him. They had stopped in front of an ordinary looking apartment building. Without pausing Magnus walked right up the front steps and disappeared behind the doors. The rest of them followed without hesitation, but Alec froze. _This is gonna suck._ He thought. He took a long deep breath, trying to prolong the inevitable then followed. Alec couldn't help but be shocked at how normal the loft looked for something belonging to Magnus. It looked like something out of the mundane's museums _'This is what a Victorian home looked like' _exhibit -and he only knew that because he, Isabelle, and Jace had to track down a demon that had gotten to comfortable eating tourists. Two embroidered chairs sat on either side of a dark red sofa, a long wooden table stretched out in front of it. The curtains were the same color of the sofa. The only thing that said 'Magnus lives here' was a bright blue blanket with gold and silver embroidery hanging on the wall.

"Is that a tapestry?" Clary asked, admiring what he was.

"No, it's…" Magnus walked over to her and looked at he's wall hanging, "I'm not sure exactly what it is."

Magnus shook his head and walked to one of the chairs, sitting down, and motioned for everyone alts to follow his lead.

"So," He said, looking pointedly at Alec who bit the inside of his mouth to force himself from looking away. "We have privacy."

Alec could feel his face burn; thank god Clary started talking, pulling Magnus's attention to her.

"Okay this is going to be a lot to take in." She started, "We're not from around here." she said slowly.

"Really? Sweetheart, any foul could see that."

"No… she doesn't mean… shit." Jace threw his head back, almost as if he were laughing.

"We're from the future, and in the future we're all friends excepted you and Alec, you guys are together. A few days ago… well our time, _we all _were in Idris and _you_ were supposed to do a simple portal to get us back to 20th century New York city, but when we walked through we ended up here in Shakespeare's London. Now _you_ need to fix it." Simon finished all this in one long string of words.

Alec felt his hands start to shake and put them under his legs. No one spoke, just stared at Magnus. Magnus looked from one person to the next until his eyes landed on Alec. They stared at each other for a long moment, neither one of them blinking.

"I always knew I had good taste." He said suddenly.

Alec just stared; Magnus was making fun of him, and Jace knew it too.  
"This isn't a prank," he said, "we're not joking, and we're not a test from the Clave."

"Look," Magnus stood up and walked to the other side of his chair. "I don't know who put you all up to this but I hope you get your money out of it." He walked over to the door, "I give you all ace marks for preference, and even higher for casting." He said winking at Alec.

Everyone started talking all at once, but Alec kept quite. Finely he snapped, _casted well_! He talked like Alec was some sort of hired prostitute!

"SHUT UP ALL OF YOU!" Alec shouted.

Everyone became silent.

"That's enough." He stood and walked until he was face to face with Magnus. "Now I understand that this is hard to believe-"

"Impossible is more the word."

"I can prove it. I can tell you where and when you bought all those rings on your fingers."

"That's not impressive. You could have asked-"

Alec turned his voice into a whisper so that this conversation was just between himself and Magnus. "I know how your parents died, how your father tried to drown you when you were little and as a result you hate water. I know that at night when immortality is crushing you, you have something similar to a mundane panic attack."

Alec stopped there. He felt cruel saying all this to Magnus, he saw it on his face the more he talked. Magnus looked truly terrified, and Alec wanted to comfort him from his words but he knew that that would be unwelcome.

"Get out." Magnus whispered, he's voice shaking.

Alec nodded. "Lets go guys."

"Alec!" Isabelle didn't move.

"I said lets go, NOW!" He reached for the door and swung it open. He watched as they all filed out, one by one. Allowing himself one more look at Magnus before following. He looked as though he was both going to hit Alec or brake down and cry. Alec left the door open as he left the apartment.


	6. Renaissance Fair

Clary:

"What the hell was that, Alexander!?"

"What did you say to him?"

The calm composer they all had in Magnus's apartment broke the second they hit the streets. Jace, of course was the loudest.

"Look," Alec said, too calmly for the situation. "I told him what would make him believe us."

"It didn't really work, Alec." Clary said.

"Not short term, but I wouldn't give him more then a few days before he can't take it anymore. He'll have to come and talk to us, well me. He'll want to know how I know…" His voice faded.

"You told him personal things?" Isabelle asked, "Like his favorite position?"

Clary and Alec almost rolled their eyes at the exact same time.

"That would freak me out." Jace muttered to himself.

Clary reached out to hit him and only then did she realize that they were moving.

"Where are we going?" She asked, needing to jog to catch up to Simon, who held out his arm for her. "Very time period worthy, my dear sir." She joked.

"Speaking of time period worthy," Simon replied, speaking up so they all could hear him. "Do you think we should change into something more 'Renaissance Fair'?"

Jace turned, walking backwards. "We are in the Victorian period, not the Middle Ages." He looked down at their joined arms and gave Clary a look of mocked hurt.

"Take thee fair maiden!" Simon said dramatically and held Clary out to Jace as though he had just lost her in a dual.

Jace rolled his eyes but took his prize either way. He's hand swallowed Clary's as Izzy moved to Simon's side.

"See how no one is staring at us?" She said to him. "We have glamour on."

"But I don't." Simon retorted.

"No you personal don't but we extended ours to you."

"You can do that?"

Before Izzy could reply Jace piped in. "Yes, Jesus, we can do that! Alec, where are you taking us?"

Alec was leading them down a dark dirty alleyway between too -what sounded and smelled like- bars.

"Think," Alec said, "If a bunch of shadowhunter kids showed up at your house telling you all this shit, where would be the first place you'd look for them?"

"A bar? Or do they call them pubs there?" Simon said, looking through a door as they passed.

"The London institute." Jace said, answering Alec's question.

Alec pointed at Jace as if to say, ding, ding, ding we have a winner!

"Hey, do you think we _should_ change cloths then?" Clary asked.

"Why? We all look great." Jace said, then looked at Simon but before he could make what ever snide comment just popped into his head Clary said.

"Well, didn't you see how they were all looking at us back at the Clave meeting? I mean Magnus is one thing, but do we want everyone to know we don't belong here?"

They all stopped.

"It may be too late for that." Isabelle said in a mater-a-fact way.

"But its better then walking in like people from the 20th century." Jace said looking them all up and down, he nearly winced when he looked Clary and Isabelle over. "I think Clary's right."

"Alright then…" Izzy said looking around, "where do we get cloths?"

"I saw a clothing store a few streets back." Simon said turning around.

"Well by all means, lead the way dear sir." Jace bowed so low that his forehead nearly touched the ground.

Simon glared but turned and led the way back through the ally. He was right, just a few streets away was a dress shop. Clary stared at the 'Jane Austin' clothing lining the walls. Jace walked in and picked at a shirt.

"Alright, we're going to need help. This is a shirt right?"

"Yes." Clary said laughing. Thank god for the school field trip to Williamsburg, VA. She knew a lot about the 17th century cloths from that trip, she had been chosen to wear cloths from that period for the day to see what it was like. It would have been fine, she could take how heavy it was, it was the fact that it had been 85 degrees out. Now its not the exact same but it's closer then nothing. She walked over and grabbed the cloths for the boys. Well the underclothes, they could pick out their own overcoats and things along those lines. As they changed Clary walked over to where Izzy was standing, her fingers playing with a silky, dark blue dress.  
"It's beautiful." Clary told her.

"I know." Izzy answered turning to smile at her. She reached over and pulled out a soft green dress with lace sleeves. "I thought you'd like it."

Clary took it and ran her hand over the fabric. It was stunning.

"Come on." Clary said motioning to the back doors where they could change. "No." she said sharply as they past the corsets.

After 20 minutes of trying to figure out how to get the dresses on they finally laced up and walked out, Clary in green, Isabelle in blue. They spotted the back of Alec's head first, just outside the shop window. He was in the cloths Clary had taken out for all three of them but added a dark blue, almost black overcoat. He looked insanely uncomfortable, Clary guessed that this was the most dolled up he'd ever been. Simon was leaning on the wall next to him in a burgundy overcoat and black top hat. Clay couldn't help but smile –or smirk.

"Very handsome." Izzy said, kissing him on the cheek.

Simon stared at Isabelle. She was beautiful, Clary thought, it was a real, natural beauty too not her usual seductive kind.

"Where's Jace?" She asked Alec.

"_She's_ still in there." He didn't look up. His face was dark, not an un-normal look for him, but it still made Clary's stomach squirm.  
"I'm right here." Jace growled from the doorway.

Clary's eyes grew wide as she saw him. He looked beautiful as always, he looked like a Victorian painting in his black overcoat and ascot. She smiled at the look he gave her. His own eyes wide, raking her up and down. She curtsied to him, and he smiled and bowed back.

"You look stunning, my love." He said as he held his arm out to her. She took it and went on tip toes to press her lips to his. He cupped her face and deepened the kiss, but just for a second before pulling away.

"Can we go know?" Alec asked, pushing off of the wall.  
"Of course. Lead the way, Alec." Jace said. "Oh, and before we get there if you can't talk like a proper English gentlemen or lady from the Victorian era then don't speak at all."

* * *

Oh and its my birthday today so be nice and review!


	7. Herondale & Lightwoods

Jem:

"Well that was an… _interesting_ enclave meeting." Jem inquired as they finished lunch. "Very." Agreed Tessa, "I wonder what Magnus is doing with them."

Tessa had sat next to him on his request. Those people at the meeting scared him, though he knew, to her, she would just think it was for company and he let her think just that.

Jem looked at her. She was beautiful, her soft dark hair was pulled up in a lose bun and a few escaped curls twisted down the side of her face. Her face was painted with red on her cheek where she must have pinched them. Jem fought the need to run his fingers over the small curl at her ear. The doors opened, snapping Jem out off ogling at his fiancé and Cyril entered.  
"Excuse me; there are a few shadowhunters and a Night Child at the door."

Jem and Will looked at each other. Jem took Tessa's hand from the table in his own.

"Um… well let them in." Charlotte said, regaining his composer quickly.  
"Charlotte!" Jem heard Will hiss just before the door opened. The people who walked in were three gentlemen and two ladies. Not the inappropriately dressed group they had seen at the Enclave meeting.

"Forgive the interruption." Said the blond man, the one who had asked for Bane during the meeting, "We did not know we were interrupting a meal."

They all looked at the intruders stunned.

"Oh, no problem at all…" Charlotte trailed off. "Mr…?"

"Lightwood, but you may call me Jace and this is my brother and sister, Alec and Isabelle," He motioned to the black haired brother and sister who were standing behind him. Both nodded politely. "The vampire's name is Simon Lewis." He waved a hand at the Night Child, who nodded in the same fashion. "And this is Clarissa Fairchild." He said smiling sweetly at the lady on his arm. "And you Miss?" He finished.

"Oh, it's Mrs." Charlotte replied, "Mrs. Charlotte Branwell, and this is my husband Henry."

Henry nodded from where he sat. "Nice to meet you all."

"This is Jem Carstairs-" Jem nodded. "-and his fiancé Tessa Gray, and this is William Herondale."

Jem watched as a look crossed over their faces, but as quick as lightning the look was gone.

"So what can we do for you?" Charlotte asked then introductions were over.

"A place to stay for a while, we need to figure out our next more and we have no where to go." Clarissa said shyly.

"What, you can't stay with your relatives?" Will said uncouthly, Jem aimed a kick at him as Charlotte hissed his name.

"I'm sorry." She said, her face flushed with embarrassed.

"No problem, you're Mr. Herodale must be very dim indeed to not have noticed our family reunion this morning." Jace's whispered, quite loudly into Charlottes ear.

Jem smiled at the fire that lit up Will's face.

"Mr. Herodale…" Jace said as though speaking to someone mental incompetent. "Our family did not know we existed before this morning and the knowledge of our existence was not welcomed."

The vampire laughed, sort but loud and slammed his hand over his mouth. Jem caught the exasperated look on Alec's face, his eyes closed. Tessa turned to Jem with a huge smile.

"Well William…" She stared,

"Shut up." He growled.

"I like them." Jem said, decided. Anyone who was willing to give Will a taste of his own bitter medicine was fine in Jem's book. "Please let them stay Charlotte. They've rendered William completely speechless, they must be special."

Will glared at him, and Jem just smiled back.

"Of course," Charlotte tried to hide her laughter, "you are all welcome." she said warmly, "Would you like to join us?" she added motioning to the table.

"If it wouldn't be to much trouble?" Clarissa said.

Jem noticed that she had not loosened her grip on Jace's arm.

"No, of course not. Sophie?"

Sophie moved forward as Charlotte made a quick introduction.

"Would you please set five more plates and then set up the same number of rooms?"

"Of course, ma'am." Sophie bowed slightly and walked towards the kitchen.  
"So," Jem muttered, unable to take the smile off his face, but before he could continue his though Sophie had set the new comers places at the table and they were seated with food being placed in front of them. No one spoke until Sophie reached the vampire.

"Oh, um…" She mumbled awkwardly, a spoon of mash potatos over his plate.

"I'm alright, thank you." He smiled softly.

Jem felt Tessa shift uncomfortably beside him. He squeezed her hand in reassurance, knowing that she was remembering the last time she had come into contact with a vampire.

"I must apologize for the manner of our appearance earlier. We had no idea we would be going to the Enclave and thus had not dressed properly. We were not supposed to be anywhere near here actually." Jace broke the silence at last, looking at Charlotte.  
"I have to admit it was quite startling."

Jace smiled shyly at her.

"So what did you need with Magnus Bane?" Will interrupted.

"That's a personal mater Mr. Herondale." Alec said, glaring at Will.

"Forgive him, William is nose by nature. He doesn't always think before speaking as you noticed earlier." Jem interrupted before Will could retort.

"Must be a family trait." Simon muttered under his breathe.

The look on Jace's face was positively murder, but the Downworlder just smiled.

"So, Mr. Lewis." Tessa spoke for the first time.

Jem knew she wouldn't be able to resist asking him about New York.

"A Jace-" She half asked, as though asking if that was indeed his name or for permission to use it. Jace nodded with a smile so she continued. "-said, at the Enclave meeting that you where from New York."

"Um, yes?" Simon said awkwardly, making it sound like a question.

Jem suddenly caught Will's eye. By the look on his face he had been trying to get his attention for a while. He was trying to tell him something but despite what his Tess thought Jem could not read William Herondale's mind though sometimes it felt that way.

"So am I." Tessa said clumsily.

"What part?" Jem heard Clarissa cut in.

He was still trying to figure out was Will was trying to convey to him, have no luck with it Jem just shook his head and Will mouthed 'later'.

"You both are from New York?" Tessa asked.

"Yes," Simon replied, "Clary and I have known each other since we were little, back when I was a… mundane."

They all looked at Simon. Before anyone of them could speak the doors opened and Gideon walked in and froze, his eyes landing on the extra Lightwoods at the dining room table.

"Hello."

"Gideon," Charlotte started. "These are the Lightwoods from… Africa was it?"

Jace nodded. He seemed to be the face of the group.

"Yes, I remember." Gideon said moving to greet them. "I am Gideon Lightwood."

"We know who you are." It was Alec who spoke this time. He rose from his seat and held out his hand. "I'm Alec."

Gideon took his hand and shook it. "Nice to make your acquaintance, Alec. Jace, right?" He asked, reaching his hand out.  
"Yes."

"Isabelle." Isabelle stud and held her hand out as well. Gideon kissed the back of it, which seemed to surprise her. Simon moved in his seat as though he was uncomfortable.

"This is Simon and Clarissa." Isabelle introduced the others, looking very pleased with herself.

"Sorry I'm late to lunch." Gideon directed the statement at Charlotte as he sat down.  
"Don't worry, Gideon."

"Their rooms are made up."

Jem hadn't seen Sophie come in.  
"Would you like to get settled in?" Charlotte asked Jace.  
"Yes, if Miss. Sophie would be so kind as to show us the way?"

"Of course."

They all stood in one flowed movement, as though they were all connected.  
"Thank you for lunch." Jace said, and the rest of them nodding in agreement.

"Just come this way, please." Sophie said motioning them to the door.

Jem was not able to count to 3 before Charlotte bounced on Will.

"You will not pry, you _will_ leave them alone. Jem!"

Jem jumped, his knee hitting the table with a loud and painful thud. "What?"  
"You are in charge of William-"

"Me?!" He interjected; he turned to Tess, horrified at the humor she found in this.

"Yes you." She got up slowly, giving Jem a pointed look as she passed him to leave the room. Henry moved to follow her.

Like a flash Will was up and moving towards the door in which Sophie lead the guest to their rooms.

"Wi…" Jem growled and ran after Will. He didn't have to turn to see if Tessa was behind him, he knew she was.

"Do you even know where their rooms are?" Jem asked, knowing Will, there was no stopping his plain, there was only to over look and make sure it didn't get out of hand –that usual didn't work either. At that moment Sophie was walking back down the hallway.

"Oh Sophie darling!" Will sang.

She froze; she probably would have run if Tessa and Jem hadn't been with him.

"What do you want William?"

Will moved too her and got down on one knee. Jem didn't roll his eyes but his whole head.  
"My sweet, sweet Sophie-"  
"What do you want from me Herondale?" She snapped, glaring at him.

Jem smiled as Tessa laughed.

"Fine, there are the Lightwood's being roomed?"  
"Along with Clarissa and Simon." Tessa added.  
Leave it to her to get involved. Sophie looked at Tessa.  
"Fine, north hall. They are all in rooms next to each other." Then she looked at Jem, "I expected this from them." She said as she passed.

"I don't understand why people think I can control the two of you." He said but it was no use, they were gone.


	8. Short History Lesson

Izzy:

"This is unreal Jace." Alec said, he was lying across the mattress is Jace's room.

They had all piled in there after that servant girl had left. The room was almost identical to the ones they had back home, though with a Victorian flair. There were canopy beds and tall wooden wardrobes, big enough to fit half of Isabelle's entire wardrobe –which was very impressive. But other then that they were identical.

"Yeah, let's just hope your little plain works so we can get the hell out of here." Isabelle said form her perch on the chair in the corner, her fingers in Simon's hair, who was leaning into her, enjoying it immensely. "You know, we aren't in enemy territory, Clary. You don't have to stand guard at the door."

Clary who didn't move or show any other sign that she had heard Isabelle.

"Fray," Simon cooed, "relax. I can hear very well."

"Yes," Clary snapped, "but your not really paying attention, are you?"

Simon sat up, causing Izzy's fingers to slip out of his hair –be she put them back quickly. She loved the feeling of his hair, looking at it you wouldn't think it was as soft as it was. Jace moved from Alec's side and put his hands on Clary's waist.

"Clary, it's alright."

"No it's not."

But Jace's touch made her noticeable less tense. She leaded back into him.

"Why South Africa?" Simon asked suddenly.

"Well it's the 18hundreds." Alec said as though his had just explained it all.  
"The slave trade was so prominent that demons flooded the area, because of the misery that was there." Jace explained soberly. "There were some accounts of Africans selling themselves to demons so they would kill them before, and even on the boats. Needless to say no one wanted to go to South Africa."  
"The institute had only one or two people working it at the time and history doesn't even know who they were, so I figured if there would be any institute whose family was unknown…" Alec let his sentence trail away. "Izzy!" He said abruptly, "Do you realize that we just met the people we're named after?"

Isabelle stared at him. "I know we just met the guy you're named after."

"Sophie," he said slowly, dragging out each letter. "The women who showed us to our rooms?"

Isabelle sat up, leaving Simons hair to play with itself. "But, Sophie was-"

"Gideon's wife." Jace cut in. He knew as much Lightwood family history as Izzy and Alec combined. Actually he probably knew more. "Didn't you see the way he looked at her when she walked into the room?"

Izzy hadn't noticed, she'd have to keep an eye out for that.

"Well, we weren't the only ones who met our ancestors today are we, Jace?" Isabelle said annoyed.

"Yeah," Simon cut in. "What did you think of Mr. William Herondale?"

"I was acquainted with the man just today I have no opinion of him... he's a dick."

"Scary the resemblance, isn't it?" Clary said.

They all busted out laughing. Izzy was sure the whole of London could hear them! Jace glared at Clary –or as close to it was he could get. Apparently having enough of her guarded duty, he practically dragged Clary away from the door and onto his lap as he sat on the end of the bed –not to gently either, but Clary didn't seem to mind.

"Alright Jace, you can stop now." Simon said, still laughing.

"Stop what, Vampire?" Jace leaned around Clary in order to give Simon the full affect of his glare.

"This…" Simon waved a hand at him. "Mr. Darcy, Broadway production of Hamlet shit."

Jace just stared, so did Izzy, and Alec –who had finally stopped laughing, or at lest Alec had.

"The way you talk Jace!" Simon clarified.

"Oh, well… I'll just talk like a 20th century teen from Brooklyn, New York then, because that won't cause suspicion, dude."

"I think it's sexy." Clary chimed in, twisting around to plant a kiss on Jace's cheek.

Before Jace could respond Big Ben down the street told the world it was 3.

"I'm tired, so if you could all adjourn to your rightful sleeping chambers, I would be most ever so thankful, for I wish to retire." Jace said pointedly at Simon.

"Not you." Jace said, catching Clary around the waist before she could escape.

The door closed and Alec moved towards his 'rightful sleeping chambers' without so much as a nod. Isabelle signed and kept her hand in Simons as they walked to her room.  
"You okay Iz?" He squeezed her hand gently.

"I'm as fine as I can be in this situation. I just feel bad for-" She broke off.

In front of them, she saw three figures retreating down the hall.

"Do you see?"

"Yeah I see." Simon sounded worried.

"Don't you want to see-" She asked when Simon made no move to follow them.

"No, they didn't hear anything. I don't think they were there very long." He held the door to Isabelle's room opened for her.

"Aren't you coming in?" She asked leaning against the door frame.

Simon smiled at her and followed her inside. They both fell asleep the moment their heads hit the mattress.

* * *

Sorry this chapter was so short, I'm not sure how it turned out that way :P


	9. Daywalker

Here is a extra chapter cause I didn't get a chance to upload yesterday!

* * *

Tessa:

"Thanks a lot, Jem!"  
"Please keep your voice down, Will." Jem said calmly with an arm around Tessa. His arm was warm on her back. He needed more medicine. "Charlotte asked us not to pry."

"Really, you don't want to do even a little digging? You don't find anything odd about them?"

"I found many things odd about them. I also find many things odd about you."

Tessa covered her mouth as a giggle escaped.

"Well I don't have a pet vampire that can go out in the-"  
"Daytime…" Tessa finished in a whisper. How hadn't she noticed that? She looked at Jem, the shook on his face told her that he hadn't realized either.

"I mean," Will continued, "have you ever seen a vampire that could do that?" Will looked at Tessa with a sympathetic look on his face.

_He's also never seen anything like you. Monster…_

"Do you think Charlotte would know…" Jem's question faded away.

"Do you think she even noticed? She didn't mention it." Tessa said, ripping her eyes from Will's gaze.

"I'm not sure," Will said, "Either way we won't mention it to her, she has enough to deal with." He started walking again. "I don't like them."

"William…" Jem cooed.

"Jem, don't you think their arrival time is strange? Everything that's going on and then they show up out of the blue with that… daywalker."

Jem pulled Tessa closer as a chill went up her spine. What if they were here for her? But their shadowhunters… so was the Benedict Lightwood. _Lightwoods_.

"Tessa," Jem stopped walking and pulled her in front of him so they were facing each other. "I want you to be extra careful while their here. I need you to be either be with Will, Charlotte, Gideon or I at all times do you understand? Stay down with Henry in his workshop if you can't be with one of us."

She nodded and started to think of her schedule, of which of them she could spend her days with. Tomorrow was training, so she would be with Gideon…  
"And never under any circumstances allow yourself too be alone with anyone of them especially the men." Will added.

Tessa just nodded.

"We'll keep a close watch on them." Jem said, squeezing her hand. "I'm sorry I kept you from spying, Will."

Charlotte:

"I worry if all this pacing is not good for the baby."

Charlotte looked at Henry. He hadn't looked up from the book that sat on the workbench in front of him. He had his stele in one hand and a metal contraption that she did not recognize in the other.

"He likes it, its liked being rocked to sleep." She joked.

Henry chucked, "Look, Lottie." Suddenly he was standing in front of her, blocking her path.

She gave a slight start; she hadn't even heard him get up.

"If you're worried about them being here then send them away."

"I can't!" She threw up her hands, "It's our duty to give safe housing to all Shadowhunters who ask for it."

"Okay," Henry ran his hands up and down her arms, trying to calm her. It wasn't working but she enjoyed the effort. "What about the vampire?"

"If that's even what he is..."

"What do you mean?"

She looked at her husband. He had grease all over him, from his ginger hair to his shoes. The only things untouched by filth were his eyes. The brown and green of them showed like a beacon through fog. God she loved him, but sometimes he was incredibly unobservant.

"It's the day time, dear." She said softly.

He smiled at her. "I know that but like most London days it is cloudy."

"That shouldn't matter, Henry."

Henry signed, "Well he's not a clockwork creator…"

"How do you know?" She cut in.  
"Because he shows emotion, none of the other clockwork creators we've come in contacted with can do that."

Charlotte stared at him in shook. He noticed the vampire's emotions? And she just called him unobservant.

Henry's features changed. "What is it Charlotte?"

She laughed despite to herself. "I'm just marveling at your abilities."

An equal part smug and shy smile lit Henry's face. Though she couldn't see it, Charlotte knew he was blushing. He turned away from her and moved back to his work. Charlotte watched him for a few moments, tinkering with the few odds and ends in front of him before turning to leave.

"You are coming up too dinner aren't you?" She asked over her shoulder.

"Lottie?"

The tone of his voice made her turn. He looked worried, his eyes on her in a soft expression that made her want to hold him and tell him everything was alright.

"If you are so concerned about them you can do one of two things. One, talk to them; ask the vampire how he can walk in the day time, see if they know anything about the clockworks or Mortmain or…" He leaned forward, "You can give William the permission to pry."


	10. Alec

Now this chapter switches from between Alec and Magnus. The switch is shown by a * in front of a sentence.

* * *

Magnus & Alec:

Magnus had been up all night thinking about Alexander Lightwood and the things he had said. He couldn't ignore it anymore. He had to know how that boy knew those things. Magnus hadn't ever told anyone –living or dead- about the things that this boy knew. He made it to the institute around 3 o'clock in the morning not caring if he woke the entire household. The bell rang more times then Magnus could bare, he had to know who sent them and why, and he had to know now! The door started to open slowly, so Magnus flung a hand out the help it along.

"Where are the newest residence of this fine establishment?" He asked the man at the door, who just stared sleepily -but still surprised- at Magnus.  
"The Lightwood, Alexander where is he?" Magnus demanded.

"Sleeping."  
Magnus felt as though his muscles were about to snap. "Wake him up and bring him to me now." He said as calmly as he could bear, "I'll be in the parlor."

Magnus left the room before the man had time to blink. He went through everything he'd say in his head, over and over again -which is something he had never done before- as he made his way to the parlor. He didn't bother with a fire, but he did snap his fingers for light.

"Magnus?"

Magnus turned towards the young shadowhunter, who was here to ruin him and took him in. He was standing in the doorframe in new period cloths, there was sleep in his eyes, his wide dark eyes that looked demon black in the light.  
"I want to know how you knew those things about me, who told you and why?"

Alexander took a deep breath and stepped into the room, closing the door behind him. "You did Magnus."

The answer ripped him to the core.

"I will ask you one more time, who told you those things?" His voice rose with each word, "About me, my past? You will tell me now, little nephilim! Tell me!"

Alexander stared at Magnus unmoving. "Magnus…"

He snapped. He couldn't take it anymore, the pity in this child's calm voice pushing him over the edge. Magnus leapt across the space between them and wrapped his hands around his throat and squeezed as hard as he could. The nephilim stared up at him wide eyed; Alexander grabbed Magnus's wrists but other then that he didn't fight back.

"You tell me you sent you! Who told you?!"

"I…" Alexander chocked out, his face was turning blue and his gripped on Magnus's wrists slacked.  
_Don't shoot the messenger_.

"can't… tell…" He tried to take another breathe, "you… suffo… me."

Tears ran down the boy's cheek and his breathe hitched. He was crying. Magnus looked down at his hands around the child's throat. His fingers were white and the boys skin underneath was red and purple. Magnus jumped back, letting Alexander drop to the floor. Coughing, crying from the pain, though Magnus had never seen a shadowhunter do that. Color was returning to Alexander's face but he was still coughing uncontrollably and the sobbing didn't help, nor did the wheezing. Magnus cursed, he had crushed the young messenger's windpipe.

_Don't shoot the messenger._

*Magnus knelt by Alec. He couldn't breathe, couldn't get air into his lungs, and he couldn't stop himself from crying.

"Its okay, its okay." Magnus laid his hand on his cheek; Alec couldn't keep himself from flinching away. _Not be a coward! Stop the crying! _

"It's alright son. I'm sorry." Magnus placed his hand softly, barley touching it to Alec's throat and this time he did not flinch away. "There."

The second Magnus spoke the pain in his neck no longer existed and Alec could breathe again. He took a few deep breathes, giving his lungs the air they so desperately needed and to calm himself. It didn't take him long to calm down, to make the tears stop.

"Look..." Alec stared but he stopped, not knowing what to say. He looked into Magnus's eyes, the yellow catlike eyes of the man he loved, and… who loved him. The moment Alec's lips touched Magnus's the flames started, then were dowsed with cold ice water. What if _this _Magnus didn't feel anything for Alec, what if it just felt like a kiss, a kiss from a strange boy? What if he didn't feel what Alec felt? Alec was too afraid to move his hands still holding Magnus's face in place.  
*The warlock didn't move. He was too stunned, and then he felt it, something he had never felt before. Not with Camille or any of his other passed lovers. It was pour heat, but not the kind you get from lust, this was something entirely different. Magnus wanted to feel more of it. He moved his mouth against Alec's, slowly, testing. It was instantaneous, the fire that caught in every cell in his body. Before he could consciously make a decision he was on top of Alexander and Alexander was kissing him with everything he had. _Pull away!_ Magnus screamed to himself, this was wrong! This kid had just blackmailed him, Magnus had almost strangled him but he couldn't. If Magnus got the strength to remove his lips from Alexander's they would replace them with his neck, his jaw, his eyelids. It was like this boy was the Sun and Magnus was a pathetic Earth stuck in his gravitational pull with no way to escape. He didn't want to either. He believed him… he didn't know why but he did, that this boy was from the future, that he and Magnus were together… this boy, Alexander Lightwood was Magnus's, he was all his. Alexander was Magnus's future.

*Alec fumbled with the buttons on Magnus's coat and pulled it away from his shoulders as Magnus's lips moved fiercely around his face.

"I love you." Alec couldn't help it, the words just came out. He wished he could retrieve them but he couldn't. He shut his eyes tight as Magnus's lips stopped moving against his skin. _Oh no…_

"I love you too, Alexander." The words were unsteady, unsure but they were still there. Magnus pulled back and looked down at Alec. "I don't know why, but I do."

Alec placed a hand on Magnus's cheek.

"I'm sorry I scared you so badly."

"It's alright; I guess it was the quickest was to get results. Sorry I almost strangled you." Magnus wrapped a hand around the back of Alec's neck and pulled him face up. His kissed him sweetly, which was relaxing, Alec thought after the feverish kissing they had been doing for… 20 minutes, an hour? Longer?

"Alexander,"

Alec groaned, "Alec."

"What?" Magnus's lips brushed against Alec's cheek as he spoke.

"I go by Alec not Alexander."

"Okay," Magnus had his fingers at the bottom of Alec's shirt. "Alec," He breathed against Alec's neck, "tell me something about us." Magnus slipped his hands underneath Alec's shirt, his hands were cold. Alec hadn't realized how cold it was. He reached up and touched Magnus's ears which were freezing.

"Magnus your cold!"

"I'm alright Alec."

Alec wiggled out from under Magnus, grabbing his hand as he went and pulled him over to the sofa.

"You," Alec said sitting down, "can start a fire or I will."

*Magnus smiled, flicking a finger towards the fire place and was rewarded with not only the steady, warm pulse of the fire heating him up but also a smile from Alec.

"Now," Magnus squeezed Alec's hand, "tell me something about us."

He watched Alec's face as he shifted through memories of their time together and he wondered how long that was. Magnus enjoyed watching a sweet smile grow on Alec's swollen lips as he found the one he wanted.

"You were my first." Alec said.

He did not look at Magnus, but instead stared shyly at their joined hands as he played with Magnus's fingers.

"You're first what?" Magnus asked.

Still not looking up Alec answered in a whisper, "Well… everything."

Magnus reached out for Alec's chin, lifting his face so he was looking at him. "I don't fully understand your meaning sir."

Alec sighed, "You were my first kiss, my first boyfriend, my first…" His face brightened and he looked down hastily.

Magnus cupped Alec's cheek, forcing him to look at him. He needed to see his face. Alec's face was still flushed which Magnus found cute. He brushed his fingers over the spot were the blood brightened his pale skin, trying to think of something to say. He was stunned into silence; this declaration filled him with an overwhelming sense of pride. He had never been anyone's _first _anything. Especially then it came to things like this. He'd had lovers, but he wasn't the first to lie beside them, he's had girlfriends, and boyfriends, but he had never, ever been loved the way this boy loved him. He kissed Alec with all the passion he had. Running his hands over Alec's body, he found the bottom of his shirt and pulled it up and over his head without permission. Alec climbed onto Magnus's lap and deepened the kiss. He moved down Magnus's neck, pulling at the collar of his shirt, trying to get better access.

"Tell me more." Magnus moaned into Alec's shoulder.

Alec chuckled, his warm breathe sending Goosebumps down his back. It wasn't that the warlock wanted him to stop, oh no! He just wanted to hear more about their life together. He would make up for interrupting Alec later.  
"Well… we've sort of moved in together without really realizing it. Ah… when we first got together, I kissed you in front of the entire Clave in Alicante."

"You what?" Magnus pushed Alec back and stared at him, wide eyed.  
"It was before a big battle and I kissed you." He wrapped his arms around Magnus's neck, and leaned in so their foreheads were touching. "It was one hell of a kiss."

Magnus closed the little space between them and this time he did not break the kiss to ask anymore questions. Well, not right away at lest.


	11. Help

Simon:

Simon picked at the piece of dry toast that sat on his plate. How could he be so tired after sleeping 17 hours! They all had, apparently traveling through time takes a lot out of you. Back to the Future should have prepared him for that. He was also thirsty, though not enough to cause any alarm. The room was silent; the only sound was the metal clink of silverware against the plates of the people who were awake. Jace, Clary, and Izzy sitting next to Simon, on the other side of the table sat silver Jem, black William, and brown Tessa. Simon couldn't help thinking of his apartment back in New York.

"Is there something wrong Jace?" Clary's voice broke through Simons daydreaming.

"Has anyone seen Alec this morning?"

Simon looked up at that. He glanced around the table, no Alec. Simon saw Izzy sit up strait in response to this news, she hadn't noticed either.

"Um, sir?"

It was Charlotte's man servant. Simon laughed inwardly, _haha, man servant_.

"Yes?" Jace replied.

He looked quite at ease here, Simon had observed. Here amongst servants, being called sir, speaking in that strange tongue that made him sound like he had just come out of a BBC film. Simon had to stop himself from making fun of Jace every time he opened his mouth.

"A warlock came this morning, and demanded an audience with Mr. Lightwood."

They all stood up at once, in one swift motion. Simon saw all the other people at the table start with the sudden movement. Will Herondale's eyes were narrow, Simon thought of what his mom use to tell him when he made a nasty face. _"If you keep your face like that it will get stuck that way." _ Maybe Will had made that face so often as a kid it was permanently stuck in a mask of suspicion.

"Who was it?" Silver asked.

Jace ran up to the man servant, "Where?" He demanded.

"Um…" The guy looked between Jace and Silver. "In the parlor." He said pointing out the door.  
"Where is that?" Clary spun towards the table, and asking the room at large.

Silver, the living anima jumped up and led the way out the door. "This way."

They all ran down the hall, Silver leading the pack with Jace right next to him.

Simon heard it first. Laughter, and talking.

"Hey, you hear that?"

Jace, Isabelle, and Clary speed up. Simon heard someone gasp as Clary and Isabelle pulled their skirts up as high as they would go –which wasn't a foot above their ankles- so they could keep up with Jace and Simon. No mater how much Jace denied it, Simon was faster now. Simon heard the voices clearer now and recognized them, it was Alec and Magnus.

They reached the door but Jace held up his arms to block their way.

"So you and I are really together?" It was Magnus's voice, "In love?"

Simon heard Alec laugh.

"We have been talking all night and you have asked me the same question god only knows how many times! Yes Magnus, this answer will not change."

"Is that-" Will began to ask, but was shushed by more then one person.

"It's so strange." They heard Magnus say.

Simon watched as Jace slowly opened the door, and they all peered around it's frame. Only Magnus's head was visible, he was looking down at Alec whose bare feet where the only part of him that was visible hanging off the side of the sofa, his head –Simon guest- was in Magnus's lap.

Simon turned to see Izzy smile. She turned to him and smiled wider.

The door swung all the way open but neither man seemed to be aware.  
"Well I guess he believes us now." Isabelle said, announcing their presence.

Alec sat bolt upright, blood rushing to his face -rightfully so as his shirt was somewhere other then on his body. Simon smelled warm blood behind him; he turned to see Tessa, red faced and eyes on the floor. Magnus turned and addressed them, unembarrassed, the complete opposite of Alec, as always.  
"I'm still not sure I believe all of this, but I-" He cut off as Alec rushed across the room to his shirt, "-do believe some of it." Magnus finished.

Alec threw the shirt over his head but it didn't hide the hickies on his neck.

"Believe what Magnus?" It was Mr. Suspicion who spoke.

He pushed his way past them and walked into the room towards Magnus.

"That would be none of your business." Jace said, moving to stand near Alec. His arms crossed across his chest.

"I wasn't asking you Lightwood, I was asking Magnus." He crossed his arms in the same manner across his chest.

Magnus just looked from one boy to the next, "Um…" He turned to Alec who had not moved. "That's scary."

"Isn't it?" Alec said.  
"What's scary?" Will demanded.

"Dear god William." Tessa spoke for the first time since she had asked Simon about New York the other night.

"It's nothing to do with you Will." Magnus stood up. "I kept what you came to me for confidential did I not? Do you not expect me to extend the same curtsey to all that come and ask for my help?"

Will's face flashed with anger, the sudden rush of blood made Simons stomach squirm.  
"So?" Clary asked Magnus, completely ignoring Will.

"So, like I said," He looked at Jace, Izzy, Clary and Simon then back again. "I'm not sure I believe all of this. But I do believe some of it." He looked to Alec, moving to stand next to him. "So I will help in anyway I can."

"Thank you." Alec said.

"Damn, we should have thrown Alec at you sooner!"

Alec looked at Isabelle with a mortified expression.

"Isabelle!" Clary snapped, her face almost as red as Alec's.

Will, Tessa, and Jem were all standing against the wall, eyes wide and mouths open. Simon couldn't help but wonder if they actually knew what she meant by that or if it was just the fact that she –a lady- said damn. Simon watched Jace shake his head, a smile on his face.

"Well, what is it you can do?" He asked.

"I'll have to look into it. Alec, if you could come with me I need help with research and I need to know everything there is to know about what happened."

"What do we do?" Jace asked annoyed.

"Enjoy London."


	12. Interrogation

I felt like uploading two today! Enjoy 3 3

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Charlotte:

She turned down the hall and saw them. Simon Lewis and Isabelle Lightwood walking down the hall away from her, Simon had his arm around Isabelle in a way that was not suitable for an unmarried couple. As much as Charlotte didn't want too she couldn't help but look at them in shook, a shadowhunter and a downworlder. Jem and Tessa's face flashed through her mind. The engagement was only a few weeks old but they were so happy, Jem was so happy; he couldn't be in the same room with Tessa without smiling. Tessa made him healthier, he's eyes were clearer and he coughed less.

"Simon, we're lost." Isabelle's voice pulled Charlotte out of her thoughts.

She looked up too see them but they were gone.

"We are not lost." A male's voice echoed through the halls, it must be Simons. His voice sounded as though he was coming up behind her and in front of her at the same time. Charlotte cursed the maze the institute product.

"Hello?" Simon's voice echoed.

Charlotte froze, had she cursed out loud? She was ashamed to admit, even to herself that she was afraid. She had no reason to be afraid, she was a shadowhunter and as worrisome the situation was Simon did seem sweet, he was not hunting her. She put a hand protectively on her stomach. Us.

"What is it?" She heard Isabelle asked.

"It's Charlotte!" Charlotte called out before she could be caught spying.

"Hello." The voice came from behind her.

She turned to see Simon and Isabelle, the girl was looking at her with distrust but Simon just look relived. He no longer had his arm around her -now that Charlotte was in their presents. In fact they weren't touching at all. If Charlotte hadn't just seen them together she might have thought they weren't together. Maybe they aren't together.

"I heard you say you were lost." Charlotte said as sweetly as she could. "Well actually I have been looking for you."

The Simon and Isabelle looked at each other.  
"Well you found us." Isabelle said slightly rude.  
"And we are happy you did!" Simon said quickly, he smiled politely at Charlotte. "If you hadn't, god knows how much longer it would have been till we found civilization again."

She stared at him in shock. _'God knows'_? "Um, I wish to speak with you, Simon, if that's alright?"

He looked at Isabelle; she seemed to have whispered something to him before he answered, "Is it alright if Isabelle joins us?"

Charlotte looked from Isabelle to Simon and nodded. "Can you both walk and talk?" She asked with a smile.

They both nodded and followed her down the hallway.

"Forgive me if this feels like an interrogation. The timing of you're arrival is very ill indeed." She looked over at them just in time to see them turning away from each other. "So I wanted to talk to you, just to know a few things." She looked at them. They were both looking at her with the same plank expressions. "Is that alright?"

"Of course." Isabelle answered. "It would be odd it you didn't."

"Well first, I don't mean to sound prejudice but we are concerned with you, Simon."

Simon stopped dead in his tracks. Both ladies had to stop and turned to look at him. The look on his face was as clear as day, he had never thought of himself as a danger.

"M-me?"

"Why would he be a concern, because he's a vampire?" Isabelle chimed in, folding her arms across her chest.

It was then that Charlotte noticed that they were both in the same cloths they had arrived in. They had no luggage with them.

"Are you a vampire? Forgive but you came here in midday, so the day does not hurt you? And you said Christ name and are walking in a Church…"

Simon signed but didn't look scared to answer. "To answer the last question, well…" He looked directly into her eyes and said evenly, "I do not believe I am damned."

Charlotte stared at him in amazement. He didn't believe he was damned and thus he wasn't?

"I don't know how it happened. When I was first turned a few months ago I couldn't say anything like that, I chocked on gods name just like every other vampire. Well not every other… In New York I met a vampire who could say his name. When I asked, he said it was because he didn't believe in him, but when I said it I knew it wasn't true because I still do."

Charlotte looked at him in astonishment. Could it have been as simple as that? Could you just not believe you were damned and there for you weren't?

"And for the day thing… we don't know." He said this with such simplicity that Charlotte believed it. He wasn't lying to her.

"How don't you know? Were you always able to walk outside during the day?" She asked, as her curiosity sparked to life.

"Yes, he have." Isabelle interjected before Simon could speak. "We aren't sure if it has something to do with the way he…" She broke off and looked at him, as if unsure of what to say next, "or…" She said softly. "If it was how he was resurrected."

"Do you know who Mortmain is?" Charlotte said quickly, hoping to catch them off guard, she succeeded.

They both looked at her confused, so they didn't recognize his name.

"I don't know who you're talking about." Simon said baffled.

"Nor I."

Charlotte nodded and began to walk again. "Let us not forget our mission to find civilization shall we?"

Isabelle came to walk beside Charlotte but Simon stayed back a little. "My I ask, whose Mortmain?"

"A man we are investigating."

The conversation stopped there.

They took the next couple of turns making nothing but small talk. Charlotte told them a little of the institutes history, but she wasn't really paying attention to what she was saying. She couldn't think of a reason not be believe they were telling the truth but she hadn't thought of any reason to distrust Jessie either. Her sweet Jessamine betrayed them and was sitting in a cell in the SilentCity for it. She thought of Tessa's brother, of the beloved people she had lost because she was too easily trusting.  
"Charlotte?" Isabelle brought Charlotte out of her thoughts.

She shook her head and smiled softly. "I'm sorry; my mind has run away from me."

"We figured that out when you repeated yourself twice."

She turned to look at Simon. He was smiling, a sweet smile that told her without words that it was okay that she had all but forgotten about them.

"Is it something we could help you with?" Isabelle asked.

Charlotte was in much danger of liking these visitors. "No Isabelle… actually, if you don't mind, there's something I want to show you both."

They didn't speak as Charlotte led them to Henry's workshop. The closer they got the darker it got and finely Simon broke the silence.

"You're not going to kill us, are you?"

Charlotte could help but laugh as Isabelle spoke her thoughts.

"Did you just say that vampire?"

The door opened with a loud creak. Charlotte made a mentally note to get Henry to oil the hinges.

"This is my husband's workshop." She opened the door a little wider. She was use to seeing the Clockwork monster on the long table in the middle of his workshop but to them it would look like the body of a dead girl. They both yelled. Henry jumped out of his seat and stared wide eyed. Simon was the first to recover. He moved passed Charlotte, -leaving Isabelle by the door- to the Clockwork monster that lay on the bench, its body covered with a while sheet. He lifted his hand as if to touch her face but thought better of it.  
"She's not human." His hand still hung in mid air, "But…" He drifted off as Isabelle went to stand beside him.

Charlotte stayed put; her arms crossed over her chest and just watched the scene.

"She had blood, human blood in her veins." Simon finished.

"How did you know that?" Henry asked.

"I can smell it, reminisce of it."  
"Is that medal?!" Isabelle shrieked. "What is this… thing?" She turning around and stare at Charlotte in horror.

"This is that thing you asked if you can help with." Charlotte said. "Have you ever seen one before?"

"No." they both said.

Charlotte moved closer to them, her tone catching their attention. "If you are lying to me you will regret it do you understand? Many of my friends died because of these things."

"We understand." Simon replied. "We are not lying to you Charlotte."

"Things?" Isabelle said with a gasp, "There are more?"


	13. Guide part 1

I hope you all like this chapter!

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Jace:

"I can't believe they left us here." Jace whined.

They had been stuck in the damn institute all day. Simon and Isabelle had disappeared after lunch and Jace didn't care enough to go looking for them. Clary had wanted to explore the institute and after begging Jace for 15 minutes he finally consented. His hand in hers, they wandered around the building for an hour without running into anyone.

"Oh will you stop crying, you sound like a girl." Clary barked.

"I do not!"

"Do you hear that Jace?" Clary said, stopping in her tracks.

Jace listened and heard the sounds of fighting with blades from a room down the hall.

"Arms room, if I had guess."

"You'd be right."

The worst was that Jace hadn't even heard him coming. Jem stood leaning on his Jade cane for support. He didn't have the suspicions look on his face as Will always wore then they saw him. His face resembled a stone that had been smoothed by water as it rolled down stream.  
"Jem." Clary said with a start, her fingers digging into Jace's forearm.

He wondered, absentmindedly if he would have marks later.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you Clarissa."

"Call me Clary."

Jem nodded politely. Jace took his momentary interest in Clary to give him the once over. Jace would have been fooled that he was a full Englishman if it wasn't for his Asian eyes. He found it odd how silver Jem was, not only his hair was silver but his eyes were as well. Jace wondered if Jem would have looked so pale if he wasn't all silver. Even his cloths were silver.

"Exploring the institute are we?" Jem asked.

Jace noticed that the more they stood there, the more Jem used his cane for support.

"We got bored," Clary answered sweetly. "Waiting around for Alec and Magnus. Is it alright?"

"Of course, would you like a guide?"

Clary looked at Jace for the answer. He couldn't think of a reason to say no.

"Please." Jace said, moving out of the way so Jem could take the lead.

"So…" Jem started, "are you all originally from Africa?" He was leaning so heavily on his cane, that if Jace hadn't known better he would have guessed Jem was an old man.

"Um…" Clary looked at Jace.

"No..." he said, no reason to lie about this. "I was born and raised in Idris. I've only been with the Lightwoods for 8 years."

"And they adopted you, yes?"

"Yes, when I was ten."

"And what about you Clary?" Jem asked as they rounded the corner. He stopped outside a door and leaned up against it as though he needed a rest.

"I'm from New York."

"Like your Vampire friend?"

"Yes, Simon and I have known each other almost our entire lives."

Jem smiled at her, not in a way that made Jace want to hit him but in a sweet, friendly way, like when Alec smiled at her.

"Well, this is the music or ballroom." Jem opened the doors to a large room. It had the same grander that the Enclave hall did, though nowhere near that size. In one corner of the room there sat a grand piano and a harp. Lining the back wall were a few violins and a basses.  
Clary walked in, her fingers twitching, praying for a pencil and her art pad. Jace knew that the moment she got the chance this room would forever live in charcoal.

"This looks like the ballroom from Sound of Music." She spun absentmindedly on the spot, completely ignoring the look of confusion Jace gave her.

"Is that a book?" Jem asked.

"Ah, yeah." She said still staring at the ceiling.

Jace couldn't help it. He never loved the piano, it was something he had done to make his father… Valentine. It was something he had done to make Valentine happy. But the instrument in front of him was so beautiful he couldn't help running his fingers lightly over it.

"Do you play, Jace?"

"Very well." Clary interjected, beaming at him.

"I'm really not, my father taught me but my enjoyment of the instrument never left him. What about you?"

"I do not play the piano."

"Violin right?" Jace motioned to Jem's neck where a violin hicky sat red against his pale skin.

"Yes," He walked over to one of the violins and picked it up as if it were alive. "My father taught me, but unlike you my love for it was of my own accord."

Clary sat on the floor by the piano bench as if she was prepared for a concert -which she was. "Will you play for us, Jem?"

Jem stared at her wide eyed; the idea of playing for them obviously frightened him. Then he smiled slightly. Jace should have known and gotten out of there. "Only, if Jace will do me the honor of playing with me."


	14. Guide part 2

Clary:

Clary turned to look at Jace. He looked at her with narrow eyes, as if she had some how planed this.

"I'm not sure I'd know anything you know." He said, but sat at the piano anyway.

Clary leaned her head against Jace's knee as Jem plucked at the strings of his violin and Jace pressed the scales of the white and black keys. The music started with Jem. His violin singing low and measured, after a few moments Jace joined in. The piano music just a little lighter but just as slow and thought out as Jem's instrument. Clary didn't recognize the song but she knew she would never forget it. Clary looked up at Jace, his head was bent low over the keys, his eyes closed, curls falling into his eyes. Then she looked to Jem, his eyes were open but he had the same look of loving concentration on his face. _Remember this_. She told herself. She thought of how she would draw it then she got the chance. _It will be a painting,_ she showed herself what she would do, that kinds of paints she's use. _Probably water or oil_, she thought. She saw the brush strokes across the canvas, creating the romantic scene in front of her -her angle Jace at the black piano, in his Victorian clothing, and Jem with his silver hair and eyes, the violin held like a lover in his hands. The music picked up in tempo, Jem's hand moving the bow quickly across its strings and Jace's fingers pressing harder and faster on the keys. Clay knew by the way the music rose and fell that the song would soon be over, she could hardly stained it. She wanted to music to go on forever and ever, to never die, to never stop. Jem pulled the bow very leisurely across one of the strings, producing a high, beautiful and sad sound as Jace's fingers danced their final dance on the keys. Clay was startled by the fact that she was not the only one who clapped. She knew Jace was startled by the way the piano made an awful noise.

"Bravo, both of you." It was Charlotte. She was standing in the doorway a loving smile on her face like the one Clary's mother would give her when she showed her her artwork. "I'm sorry to have startled you all; I heard the music from the hall and could not help myself."

Clary saw that Jem was breathing heavily, far too heavily for someone who had just been calmly playing an instrument. He must have been startled the same as herself and Jace.

Clary liked Charlotte; she was small without being fragile. She was sweet yet strong which was a strange think for a woman to be in this time period. But best of all she was a true shadowhunter and Clary couldn't help but think that if it wasn't for Charlotte… that maybe, she, Izzy and the women before them –like their mothers- would not have been allowed to be shadowhunters like Jace and Alec. Clary understood then why seeing her put a lump in her throat, Charlotte reminded Clary of her mom.

"Would you two play another? Please?" She asked, coming to take a seat beside Clary. She had something in her hand. A pad of paper and a pencil, on it was writing that Clary could not read -maybe Latin or Greek, or something alts along those lines.

"Jace? Jem?" Clary asked, she put her hand on Jace's knee.

He looked down at her and smiled. "Come sit up here, Clary." He reached for her hand and helped her up onto the bench beside him.

Jem looked at Charlotte concerned. "Are you alright on the floor, Charlotte? Should I-"

"No." She said a little too harshly.

Jem looked down, almost with a look of something close to shame. But why would he be ashamed?

"No sweetheart," she cooed, "I am fine right here, just play for me."

And play they did. It was –again- nothing that Clary could recognize but that didn't surprise her. She knew little of classical music. If she was forced to guess she would say Beethoven, but only because he was the only classical musician she knew of by name, though she'd never be able to pick out a song of his if she heard it. This song was much more up beat, like something someone would dace too. Clary could tell that Jace was having a little trouble keeping up, either he didn't know the music all that well or he was distracting himself by playing footy with her. She kicked him in the ankle, or tried too but missed. Something crashed to the floor with a bang. Clary turned with alarm to see Jem doubled over, his beautiful violin broken on the floor at his feet. Jace moved to his side as Jem started to cough uncontrollably. The hand that covered his mouth began to drip with blood.  
"Jem!" Clary screamed. She tried to move to him but Charlotte grabbed a hold of her arm and said calmly in her ear.

"Get William he's in the arms room. It's the first-"

"I know where it is!" She said.

"Tell him what's happened." Charlotte pushed her away towards the door roughly.

Clary looked back at Jem, panicked. Jem, keeled over in Jace's arms, coughing up blood. Jace holding Jem close to his body; Jem's blood was already pooling the front of Jace's shirt like a frightening red dye. Jace didn't seem to notice, he didn't care. He ran his fingers through Jems hair as she had seen him do to Alec when he was hurt.  
"Do something!" He yelled to Charlotte as the door closed behind Clary.

She ran as fast as she could, cursing the skirt for impairing her movements.

"Will!" She screamed at the top of her lungs, hoping her voice would reach him before her body would. "William!"

She was relieved in all measures to see Will standing outside the training room as she rounded the corner.

"It's Jem!" She yelled before he had even seen her.

He turned to her, his face ghostly pain. "Where?" He said forcefully.

"Music-" She didn't even finish, Will was running away from her, back the way she had come. Clary wasted no time turning and running after him. She grabbed the door as it swung closed, and pulled it open as Will ran from the room with Jem in his arms still coughing as violently as when Clary had left. She stood frozen, watching him bee line down the hall, disappearing into the black that carpeted the end of it. She felt as though she was falling, falling threw open air with nothing to grab on too. Jace. She turned to see Jace kneeling on the floor where he had been holding Jem, a terrified expression on his face, the whole front of his body was covered in what she new to be Jem's blood. He was -as she was- to afraid to speak.

"That just happened?" He finally whispered, he was looking down at his shirt as though he had just noticed it was stained with blood.

"I…" Charlotte trailed off and shook her head. "We will get you a new shirt. Just leave that one out for Sophie."

Before either of them could respond she hurried out the door, leaving Clary and Jace to stare after her. Clary knew that she would later draw this horrifying scene as well as the beautiful one that was here just a moment ago. Clary watched Jace pick up the violin as though it was some evil thing.

"That… in the name of Lillith… just happened?" He asked again.

Clary was shaking, Jace still hadn't looked up at her and she got the sense that he had forgotten about her. She felt as though she was about to cry.

"Jace."

He looked up at her, his eyes wide. Yup, he had forgotten she was there. He got up and crossed the room in four strides but he didn't touch her. He was breathing heavily; he was just as scared as she was. More probably, he had held Jem through it; he had his blood on his shirt. Clary couldn't think of anything alts to do, she just knew she had to move, had to do something, anything.

"Let's get you out of that shirt." She said calmly, like Charlotte had talked to her when she told her to go get William. "I'll put it in cold water before…" She shook her head. She took Jace's hand and lead him too his room on the other end of the institute.

"Have you seen anything like that before?" She asked him as she ran a wet washcloth across his chest and stomach. She had to scrub a little where Jem's blood had dried to his skin.  
"No." Jace said gravely.

He didn't speak again, the scene with Jem scared him more then Clary thought anything could. This Jace reminded Clary of the one that showed up then they had first meet, after Alec was almost killed by that great demon. There was a knock at the door, reluctantly Clary moved to get it. It was Sophie. She looked as grim as they did.

"I am here to get a shirt and to give you this." She said quietly and handed Clary a crisp white shirt.

Her voice seemed to spark something in Jace.

"Is Jem alright?" He asked.

Sophie looked at him startled, "He'll be alright, sir." She answered back politely. She bowed slowly and left with Jace's bloody shirt in her hands.

"Clary," Jace's moan was muffled but his hands, "what if we did this? What if it was something we have done to the time that made Jem sick? What if this is all our fault?"

Clary couldn't answer.


	15. Potions

Alec:

Alec was sprawled out on the couch, his hands tucked in behind his head as Magnus paced in front of the fireplace. Alec enjoyed watching how the flames seemed to know Magnus was passing. It sparked louder and the flames reached for him, but they weren't fast enough. _Don't worry;_ he thought to the flames, _you get him. _Alec thought of last Christmas when Magnus's pant leg caught fire because he was teasing the charmed flames at an unsafe distance.

"Tell me again." Magnus demanded stopping in front of the flames. They reached out as though they were stretching after a long night sleep.  
"Magnus step away from the fire."

Magnus gave him a sharp look.

"Please." Alec added.

Magnus stepped forward just as the flames tied again. They just missed.

"Alec, pay attention!"

Alec looked up startled, "What?" he hadn't realized Magnus had spoken.

Magnus rolled his eyes and sat on the couch on top of Alec's legs. "I know I'm marvelous Alec, but do try to pay attention."

Alec rolled his eyes, "I'm just tried," he corrected, "and hunger. We've been at this for hours; I have no new information for you. It was a simple portal; I saw nothing off about any of it. Not the runes, nor the incantation."

Alec really was trying, so much so that his brain was starting to hurt.

"Okay, okay." Magnus pressed his fingers to the brig of his nose.

"You alright?" Alec asked, sitting up with Magnus still on his legs.

"Fine. So, food."

Magnus got up and walked into the kitchen without another look at Alec. He knew this was hard for him to wrap his head around, as much as he played with Alec, whenever he showed any real emotion for the warlock, Magnus would shrink away, like he had just then, even with the simplest thing as asking if he was alright. Alec signed and moved to get up but Magnus was back, a friendly smile on his face as though he was entertaining an ordinary guest and not his future boyfriend. In his hands was a tray of tea, mini cakes and sandwiches. Alec didn't bother to ask how he had done it so fast.  
"Tea time." He said "My favorite English traditions. Forgive me; I hadn't realized how late it had gotten." He set the tray down on the table in front of the couch and sat next to Alec.

"Well I am marvelous Magnus, but you should try to pay attention." Alec teased, hoping this would bring Magnus out of what ever hole he had just dug himself. He wasn't sure if it worked or not but Magnus's smile did widen.

"What do you take?" He asked politely.

"What?"

"Oh right," Magnus leaned back, he's face returning to its usual happy expression. "Your tea, what would you like in it."

"Oh," Alec sat up. "What kind is it?"

Magnus looked at him strangely. "English."

Alec gave him a look. "Thanks." He hissed sarcastically, "Three sugars, cream. Is there a bathroom I can use?" He added needing to move, to get out of Magnus's sight.

"Thread door to the right." He said pointing down the hall behind him.

The door shut behind Alec with a louder bang then he had intended, he gripped the edge of the sink and fought the urge to cry. He hated doing this to Magnus, hated causing him pain. He regretted telling him but there had been no other alternative. At first, back at the institute Magnus had seen happy, asking question after question, his smile growing with Alec's answers. But now… one tear escaped and Alec knocked it away before it could even reach his cheek. _Well its over and done, no use whining about it! _Alec splashed water on his face, and gave himself a once-over in the full body mirror on the back of the door. Rightly so, he looked as though he hadn't slept all night. His cloths where still disheveled from the make-out session with Magnus at he institute, same with his hair. He striated himself out then returned to Magnus -or he was planning to at lest. Alec looked up and down the hall before he had stepped out and his eyes were caught be a green glow that was coming out from under one of the doors at the far end of the hall. Alec could hear china clinking together as he made his way towards the door, telling him that Magnus was still in the parlor. The doorknob was warm to the touch.

"What are you doing?"

Alec jumped so violently that he slammed into the door, falling to the floor. "Magnus!" He stared up at the warlock from his set on the floor.

Magnus had his arms folded across his chest and a scowl on his face. _Oh god, don't curse me._ Alec wouldn't think that _his_ Magnus would ever do that to him, but this Magnus…

"I'm sorry," He said quickly. "I was just-" he was stuttering so badly he couldn't finish his sentence.

"You know curiosity killed the cat right?" Magnus smiled and reached out his hand to help Alec up. "It's my potion room." He explained, moving passed Alec to the door. He took out a key. "Haven't I shown it to you before?" He said in a mocking tone.

Alec didn't reply. Magnus had shown him his potions room before and Alec knew what kind of potions were hidden behind the door. His mind was racing, what if it was there? Could he remember the incantation? _Please be there, please_.

* * *

I know this chapter was so short and I'm sorry about that! :P


	16. Unwanted Visitors

Will:

Jem had finely fallen asleep. He was covered in perspiration and blood. This was his worse attack in over a month. Will striped Jem down to his underclothes and applied cold compresses to his forehead, the back of his neck and his legs. Jem would moan every so often but other then that he didn't stir.  
"Jem?" Tessa's worried voice called from the other side of the door.  
Will didn't move or call out to her, she would enter Jem's chambers no mater what he said or did. After all she was his future wife. The door opened slowly, Will didn't take his eyes off of Jem. His lips were cracked from dehydration. William grabbed a cloth, soaked it through with water and rung it out over Jem's lips. He gasped and his lips parted slightly. As the liquid passed his lips and hit the back of his throat Jem whimpered and tears fell over his cheeks. Will saw Tessa's hand reach out and wipe them away.

"Did you give him his medicine?" She whispered.

Will finally looked up at her. She wasn't looked at him and he was thankful. She was still in shadowhunter gear, her cream colored face -full of fear and concern for Jem- was flushed from the day of training with Gideon, her hair stuck too her forehead and neck, her gray eyes shined with unshed tears, and her chest, raising and falling told Will that she had run here. Her fingers brushed Jem's hair from his head softly over and over again. Her fingers stopped suddenly.  
"William?"  
_Please just let me look at your fingers in peace._ He sighed in his head.

"Yes." He said allowed.

They stared at each other, his dark blue eyes against her ocean grays. Her breathe caught and the tear spilled over. "What if he doesn't wake?"

It was like tapping crystal with a hammer in slow-motion, watching every piece of crystal fall, individually to the floor with its own, clear clink, it made a sound as soft as a raindrop and yet as loud as thunder. Will felt as though he was moving through water, his movements slow and his vision was blurry, but he did catch her before she fell to the floor. He wrapped his arms around her a crushed her to his chest.

"Tess." He couldn't say anything alts, his throat wouldn't let him.

She sobbed into his chest. What if Jem didn't… He refused to even think it, he couldn't, physically and mentally, he just couldn't.

"Tess?" The voice was low and rough. It was a moan, a painful, heartbreaking sound.

They broke apart as though they were caught in a compromising position, though Will couldn't help but keep a hand on her arm.

"Jem?" They both said, moving to his bed.

He hadn't moved, but Will new with all his heart that Jem had spoken.

"Jem?" He said again.

They didn't move, and Jem didn't stir.

"Is he dreaming?" Tessa asked.

Will just shook his head. He couldn't breathe, his mind was racing but he couldn't make sense of a single thought. He felt as though he was on fire and being dunked in an ice bath at the same time. Tessa moved away from him and sat on the edge of Jem's bed and wrapped her hand around his. Will thought of the night he had confessed his love too her. He was so happy for Jem, for how ever long he had he'd have Tessa with him, to love him, but he still couldn't stop crying himself too sleep for everything he had lost because of his 'curse' and Tessa was at the top of that list. A knock on the door made both of them jump out of their skin.

"Jem? Jem are you in there?"  
At first Will didn't recognize the voice from the other end of the door; he had to rack his brain, which was hard to do with the state he was in.  
"Jem?" Jace Lightwood called again from the other side of the door.  
Will got up without another look at Tessa and left the room, pushing a shaken looking Lightwood out of his way.  
"Get out of here Lightwood."

Jace glared at him. "I'm not here for you." He reached around him for the door.

"I said…" Will pushed Jace as hard as he could, "get the hell away from the door."

Jace didn't fly half as far as Will had wanted him too, he looked as though Will was a little kid who had just shoved his parent and he went about as far.

"I don't know what the hell your problem is but this has nothing to do with you. I need to see Jem now get out of my way or I will make you."

Will slowly reached into his pocket for his blade.  
"Your going to kill me just because I want to see if he's alight? Wow, you are a very overprotective _wife_ aren't you?"

"How dare you! You have no reason to be here…"  
"Really? I think holding Jem as he coughed up massive amounts of blood all down the front of my shirt gives me some place to cheek up on him."  
Will froze, his hand on the hilt of his Seraph blade. He replayed the scene in his head… Clarissa had screamed for him, told him something was wrong with Jem in the ballroom, Will ran in and took Jem out of someone's arms… Jace's arms. He had been covered in blood. Will looked at Jace's chest, it was covered in a fresh, white shirt.

"New shirt then?" He hissed.  
"Miss. Collins gave it too me." Jace said calmly.

Will closed his eyes and took three deep breathes; when he opened them again Jace had not moved. "He's resting. He can't see you."

Jace looked past Will and to the door. "What happened?" The question was no more then a breathe.  
"It's not my place to tell you."

Jace looked at him sharply. "You're his parabatai yes?"  
"Yes."  
"Can you tell him I stopped by to see him?"

"I'm not sure."

Jace glared at him. "And why the hell not?"  
"Because I don't like you or trust you and I want you to stay away from my family."

"Okay look," Jace moved a little closer to him, "I don't know what wrong foot we got off on but I'm not asking only for me. Clary was there as you know and it scared her something awful, it scared us both."  
"Clary?" Will asked confused.  
"Clarissa." Jace corrected.  
"Oh, your sweet little red head."

Jace gave him the deadliest look Will had every seen. "Yes, _my _sweet little red head." Jace's smile was full of poison, "I will advise you not to ever say that in her presents, she will eat you alive."

Will snorted but then he turned back to give Jace another piece of his mind he was halfway down the hall. His shoulders hunched over as if he was cold. Jace was actually worried about Jem. Will took a deep breath and turned to go back into Jems room. He could, his hand on the door knob but he couldn't turn it. So he ran, ran as fast as he could down the hall. He didn't know where he was going just that he had to get as far away from Jem and Tessa and that blondy Lightwood as fast as he possible could. He made it all the way to the attic before collapsing on the floor.

He was woken by rain hitting the roof. His whole body hurt, his throat was screaming for any type of liquid. He felt dry tears caked onto his cheeks though he didn't remember crying.  
"Mr. Herondale, are you up there?" The voice belonged to Sophie.

Will didn't answer her hoping she would give up and look for him alts where. She didn't.  
"There you are I've been looking for hours. Mrs. Branwell wishes to speak with you."

Sophie walked him to the parlor without another word. Charlotte was standing by the fire; Tessa and Gideon were sitting on the sofa across from Henry on the loveseat.  
"So this is a family meeting?" Will said.  
"Will, there you are." Charlotte said moving to the loveseat by Henry.

"Here I am!" He said and moved to stand behind Gideon doing his best to ignore Tessa.  
"Can we begin now?" Tessa asked, "I would like to get back to Jem."  
"Of course dear. This has to do with The Lightwoods and their companions."

Gideon lend forward eagerly, "What did you discover?"  
"They are all quite… sweet." She said unsure, "I talked to Simon and Isabelle and they know nothing about any of the Clockwork monsters or who Mortmain is."  
"How can you be so sure?" Tessa asked.  
"Well I can't be can I? Not with my track record."  
"Lottie…" Henry began but she hushed him with a smile.  
"I am as sure as I think I can be. I showed them the Clockwork creator and they were both modified and it was genuine! Oh, and I asked, Simon is a vampire." She looked pointedly at Will, "I talked to him about it and he was nice, and forthcoming. He has only been with a Night- well I guess you can't really call him that, well he was changed no more then a month ago give or take a few days. I told him we were concerned about him and he gave me a look like I had just killed his family pet."

Will was about to protest but Charlotte raised her hand.

"I am not saying we will don't be careful, Tessa I mean you especially, but we are not going to focus on them or be afraid of them."

"What about the others? You said you talked to the vampire and Isabelle but what about Jace Lightwood and Clarissa?"

Charlotte looked at him softly, god did he hate it when she looked at him like that. "You obviously didn't see Jace with Jem in the music room. Or Clarissa's as I told her to go and get you."

"Mr. Gray seemed _sweet_ and caring when he first came here too."

Out of the corner of his eye he saw Tessa flinch.  
"Not like this. They have not stopped inquiring about Jem since it happened and they didn't have too, don't have to I should say considering I ran into them both on the way here and they asked it there was any change in his condition, and they're being sincere William."

"I know." As much as Will didn't want to admit it Charlotte was right. "Jace came by Jem's room earlier."

"Speaking of which," Charlotte looked at Tessa, "has there been any change?"

"Not really. He was able to sit up and eat."

"He woke up?!" Will felt as though he was going to burst into tears, he hadn't realized the weight that had been crushing him until it had lifted, almost painfully from his chest.

"Yes!" Tessa said looking shocked. "He roused about an hour before dinner."

"Are we done?" Will asked.

"Yes, but I would like to make this clear to all of you. Do not let your guard down around them but I do wish you not to be hostile towards them or make them feel unwelcome they have done nothing to cause suspicion other then their timing, so please…" She smiled at Will, "Be nice."

Will nodded before walking swiftly out the door. He took the sorted route to Jem room and didn't bother knocking before opening the door. There sitting with Jem was Jace Lightwood and Clarissa Fairchild.


	17. Good-Bye and See You Soon

Jace:

His stomach hurt as though he hadn't eaten in days. He wanted to leave, and where the hell was Alec!? Jace made shapes on the ceiling, connecting the cracks in the paint to see if they made a picture. They didn't, just a bunch of random shit he couldn't make out. He laughed, that's what his whole life was like apparently.  
"Jace?"

"Go away Simon!" Jace rolled over and threw the pillow over his head.

The door opened and three sets of footsteps came in. Someone sat on the bed and put their head on his shoulder. Clary. Her hands moved about his back rubbing it. It felt good.

"Jace get up!" His sister snapped and the bed shook.

"Izzy stop it." Clary ordered.

In response the bed shook harder. Jace rolled over with a groan, wrapping his arm around Clary as a thank you present.

"What do you want?" He snapped, he really wanted to be left alone.

"I think we should go somewhere alts." Simon said.  
"Really?" Jace replied, "Why do you think so?"

"Charlotte interrogated us. She asked if we knew who this Mortmain guy was."

"We told her we didn't know anything," Isabelle said, "and so she showed us this… body."

"A body?" Clary said sounding appalled.

"Well it… never mind." Simon shook his head, "anyway these people have too much to deal with and they are suspicious of us for more then one reason. Charlottes sweet but I think they have something really big on their plat and they won't stop until they know for sure that we are not involved."

"And besides, the only reason we were here was so Magnus could find us and he did!" Izzy added.

"So I think, if we want privacy we should go somewhere alts."

Clary and Jace looked at each other. Her eyes were as bright green as ever, even in the dim light. They couldn't risk having a problem because there was suspicion surrounding them, there was problem enough without them hafting to tip toe around.

"We'll leave in an hour." Jace desisted. "I want to see Jem first, and then we'll leave."

"I thought you said there was a pit bull guarding his room?" Clary ran her fingers through his hair, he closed his eyes and lend into her.

"He's awake now. If he wants to see me my great grandpape can't do anything about it."

Clary insisted on going with him, his hand in hers they walked down the hall to Jem's room. Jace couldn't hear anything beyond the door. He lifted his fist and knock, prying that if Jem were asleep he wouldn't wake him.

"Come in." The voice was Jem.

Jace turned the door knob awkwardly. The room was just like his own, all the institute rooms were the same. Jem was on the bed in his pajamas –or what Jace guessed were his pajamas- the covers over his knees. He looked sick, dark moons lay on his eyelids; his lips looked as though they had never touched water, and his skin was more silver then usual.

"Jace, Clary." Jem tried to set up and his face twisted in pain.

"No Jem, don't get up," Clary said, releasing Jace's hand and moving to stand by Jem's bed side. "We just wanted to see if you were alright."

Jem settled back into the pillows and smiled softly. "I know I don't look it, but I'll be alright."

"No," Jace said, "you don't look it." He wasn't sure what he felt toward Jem, he liked him but it felt more then that. Jace had the sickening image of Alec lying in Jem's place and the image almost broke him.

"I will be, Jace, I swear it." Jem said, "Sit down both of you, I would enjoy the company."

Jace looked around for a seat and his eyes came upon a beautiful, old violin in the corer.  
"She's beautiful." Jace said walking over to it.  
"Oh please don't touch that Jace, it belonged to my father."

"Alright." Jace said turning away from it. "It's a beautiful instrument."

"Thank you, it's very magical." Jem said dreamily. "My father played it for my mother when they first met and I played it for my soon too be when we first met."

"Really?" Clary asked, a smile growing on her face.

Jem nodded, "How did you too meet?"

Jace looked at Clary who gave him a look that said exactly what he spoke. "It was no where near that romantic." He said laughing.

"When I first met Jace I didn't know anything about the Shadow World and when I saw him he was on the hunt. I watched as he killed a boy, later to find out that it was a demon but it still was not the best's way to meet someone."

Jem was laughing, Jace smiled, happy to see him so joyous then the coughing fit came. Both Jace and Clary when rigged and Jace waited for the blood but nothing came.

"Is there anything we can do?" Clary asked looking around desperately for anything to do.

"Just some water if you wouldn't mind?" Jem pointed to the pitcher on the desk on the far wall.

Clary got him the water and Jace took a set on the over stuffed chair by his bed.

"Well that is certainly an exiting way to become acquainted with someone, so you were a mundane? How did you become a shadowhunter?"

"I was always one I guess, I just didn't know it." Clary handed him the water. He gave her a small _thank you_ before she continued. "My mother was a self exiled shadowhunter and she kept it all a secret from me. I knew nothing about any of it until I met Jace. After a little while I was training in the art of monster killing."  
"Good for you." Jem said looking impressed.

"Anyway," Jace said, "the real reason we are here is because we are leaving and we wanted to say good-bye."  
"Leaving? Are you going home?"

"No we will have to stay in London a while longer. We just know that you all are very busy and we don't want to case… further suspicion."

Jem signed, "Oh… I understand."  
"We just don't want to cause any problems." Clary clarified.

"I understand," Jem said again, "I just wish it didn't have to be so. Where in London are you going to stay?"

Jace and Clary looked at each other.

"With Magnus Bane." Jace said, unsure of any other way to answer.

Jem nodded. "Well I hope this will not be a permanent good-bye. May I call upon you both then I fell well."

"We would love that Jem." Clary said.

"When do you leave?"

"As soon as we are done here." Jace said.

Jem looked at him with an odd expression in his eyes. A look Jace could not identify.

"I will detain you no longer then."

"No, it's alright. We can stay until Tessa comes back at lest. Give you some company."

"It really is…" He began coughed again.

Clary took the cup from him and got him more water. "All this arguing is not good for you, so stop it."

Jem smiled, "Alright then." He surrendered and took the water from her.

They sat in silence as Jem drank. Jace lend forward to play with a tassel that hung off of Jem's bed. It was soft, and slipped through his fingers with ease. He was only haft aware that Jem and Clary were talking. He wondered absentmindedly where Alec was, if he was alright and with Magnus or if he was in trouble and needing Jace? Alec hadn't come back at all or sent any word since he had left this morning with his boyfriend. Jace wondered if they were making any progress. He didn't know why Jem reminded him of Alec, they were nothing alike, where Jem as all ease and friendliness Alec was all caution and seriousness. Jace wondered if Gideon would be like that or the opposite if he got to know him. As much as he didn't want to he had to admit that he was a little like William Herondale, if someone stranger wanted to see Alec like this, he would probable would have stopped them too.

"Jace?"

Jace's head snapped up. Jem and Clary were looking at him oddly. How long had they been calling his name?

"Yes?"

They both gave him the exacted same smile, the kind that said 'aw, it's alright that you're an imbecile.'

"I was asking where you were trained. You had said that you were born in Idris, did you train in school there?"

Jace straitened up. "Um no my…" He looked at Clary; this was always a subject he did his best to avoid. Better just to stick with the story he grew up believing. "My father trained me for ten years before he died. Then I finished my training with the Lightwoods, but I was already far ahead of them." He finished with a smug smile.

Suddenly the door opened and Will walked in, he froze when he saw Jace and Clary sitting with Jem. Jace was sure that he would yell but he just looked at Jem calmly and said, "Sorry Jem, I didn't know you had company."

"That's alright." Clary said, "We were leaving."

Jem looked at her, "You don't need to on Will's account."

"No, we need to get going." Jace reached out for Clary's hand and pulled her to the door.  
"We hope to see you again." He called over his shoulder.

"You will in a few days." Jem said confidently.

Jace didn't look back as he pulled Clary from the room.

"Jace…" Clary started but her voice was drowned out by someone alts calling his name and hers.  
"Jace? Clarissa?" It was Will.

They turned around. Will was walked towards them, the door to Jem's room was open so he wasn't planning on talking long.  
"Look, I…" He looked back at Jem's door. "I wanted to apologies for what I said to you earlier."

Jace just nodded.

"So you are all going home?"

"Not yet." Clary answered. "We are just going to stay somewhere alts."

Will nodded once. "It was nice to meet you then." He turned on his heal and walked away.  
"Wow…" Clary breathed.  
"I know…"

"I'm glad, now you know why everyone hates you at one point or another."

He looked at her, she was smiling at him.  
"Not be like that," She teased. "More often then not, we learn to love you."  
"Well thanks." He hissed under his breathe, following her down the hall.

"So you think Jem made him do that?" Clary asked.  
"Of course. No way would he have done that for himself."

She smiled at him, "There's another match between you two."

"Oh shut up."


	18. He's Yours, Have Him

Magnus:

Alec sat on the table with four leather bound spell book spread out in front of him. Magnus had his own book in his arms and was pacing back and forth behind him. Ever few paces -without thinking about it- Magnus's hand would reach out and play the Alec's hair; twirling the black silk in between his thumb and forefinger before he continued walking. Alec didn't seem to mind it.

"What about this?" Magnus repeated a few words out of the book but Alec just shook his head.

"I've never heard it." Alec replied not taking his nose out of the books in front of him. "Nor do I recognize any of these!" He said growled in frustration, pushing the book away from him.

"Please be careful Alec, these books are very old."

"Sorry." He apologized before dropping his head onto the table.

Magnus just stared at him, trying to memorize him, all of his. The way his hair was cut so that it fanned out in the back and sides to make it looked like it had never been brushed. Magnus memorized the way his broad shoulders would move up and down as he breathed or hunched over the longer they went on reading. He watched each moment of Alec's hand as he turned the page and listened, committing to memory the sound of his sign as he past over something that didn't help them. Magnus hung on every word he said till he was able to pick out each tone Alec's voice made when he spoke certain words. But what he loved the most was Alec's bare feet on the floor, Magnus loved that the deeper in thought Alec got the tighter his toes curled. They were so tight now that they were turning white. This was his future, he thought for the hundredth time since he had kissed him and boy did he want too kiss him again.

"Why don't we take a break?" Magnus suggested.

Alec didn't look up. Magnus looked back down at Alec's toes and smiled; he put a bookmark in his volume and set it on the table before doing the same to Alec's.

"Hey!"

"Look its getting late." Magnus reached out and stroked Alec's hair. "Your eyes need a rest."

Alec nodded and rubbed his eyes like a small child.

"Why don't you go lay down on the couch and I'll make us some dinner."

Alec looked at him funny, "You don't cook."

Magnus looked at him, it still unnerved him how much Alec knew about him.

"I never said anything about cooking." Magnus said smiling to hide his nerves.

He went to the kitchen and took his time, needing to breathe and think without looking at his beautiful future. _Don't think_, He told himself and made a show of looking in the ice box and selves for any food. There wasn't anything. He snapped his fingers and a roast and mash potatos appeared on the counter. He still didn't want to return to Alec so soon. So he decided to get himself a drink, it was only then that he saw, his hands were shaking. How long had they been shaking? He hopped Alec hadn't noticed. He had. Magnus hadn't heard him come in but his hand reached from behind Magnus, taking the cup of water before it spilt on the floor.

"I'm sorry I just…"

"No, don't be Magnus." Alec said softly. "I'm sorry Magnus, I'm so sorry. I didn't want to drag you into this…"

Magnus took Alec's face in his hands. "Don't be, I'm glad you did, Alec. It's just a lot to take in, in such a short amount of time."

Alec looked down at his feet.

"I live forever and never have I been exited for the future. You've giving me something to look forward too." He set his forehead against Alec's. "Thank you, Alec."

Alec hugged him tightly. Magnus wrapped his arms around his back and his fingers sewed themselves into the back of Alec's shirt. They didn't talk or move they just held each other. It felt so good being in Alec's arm, it was… safe, warm, and oddly familiar. He buried his face into crook of Alec's neck and breathed him in. He smelled like sandalwood and something Magnus couldn't identify but he knew the sent. It was sweet like flora but more… masculine. Then it hit him… it smelled like _him_, like Magnus. His sent was on the boy's skin. He pressed himself harder into Alec and Alec in return tightened his hold. _It was him_… The thought came to Magnus.

"You said it was a simple portal correct?" He detached himself from Alec just enough to look into his face.

"Yes."

"Come with me." Magnus grabbed his hand and lead him to the table. He grabbed one of the books Alec had and flipped through the pages till he found what he wanted. The page on Portals. He showed Alec the picture of the runes that were used. "Do these look right?"

"Yes, but Magnus we already look…"

"Tell me if this sounds right." Magnus started reciting the spell from the book. He was half way through it when Alec jumped up.

"That one wasn't right."

"Which one?" Magnus repeated the spell slowly; he spoke each sound of each word.

Alec listened, his eyes closed. "That one." He said looking at Magnus.  
"Well what did I say?"

Alec closed his eyes and Magnus looked down and watched his toes curl.

"I can't remember Magnus."

"It's okay." Magnus put a hand on Alec's shoulder. "We'll go to the institute tomorrow morning and see if the others in your group know."

Magnus looked into Alec's eyes, wanting to memories every shade of blue in them. How much longer did he have with Alec? After he sent him back he would have to wait how many years before Alec was born, let alone old enough to date anyone! Suddenly his shoulder wasn't enough of a connection to Alec and Magnus kiss him. Alec was stiff for a beat before kissing Magnus back and the second he did Magnus made it as deep as humanly possible. He held on to Alec like a life persevere, holding him so tightly that Alec would have been crushed if he wasn't the strong Shadowhunter that he was. He just returned Magnus's presser with a tongue running along Magnus's bottom lip. _He's your_, Magnus told himself, _He is all your, so have him! _

* * *

Sorry its so short! The next one is longer! Review please 3


	19. Assistance

Izzy:

"You don't need to do that." Charlotte argued when they told her their plains to leave.

"It has nothing to do with that Charlotte we just feel it would be better to get out of your hair." Simon said.

They were all standing around the parlor. Jace who had been so talkative since they arrived sat off in the corner sulking, leaving Isabelle, Simon and Clary to tell Charlotte that they were leaving. Izzy was going to kill him! Because he had been the one to talk during dinner Charlotte was looking to him for an explanation on why they were leaving but Jace wouldn't even look at her.

"With what you showed us you have a lot to deal with, we don't want to add to it." Isabelle said.

Charlotte signed. "Alright, you may leave if you wish too. It is not as though I will hold you here, but do not leave on our account please. There's really no need…"

Isabelle was about to cut her off but Charlotte raised her hand.  
"Please Isabelle, the men in the Enclave are waiting for a chance to take away my position here and they have been for years. If it gets back to them that you all left and stayed in a mundane motel or with a warlock after just one night here…" Her voice faded and she looked to the floor like it was the most interesting floor she had ever seen.  
Isabelle looked at her companions. They were all looking at Jace.

"Jace," Isabelle spoke, "you want to join the conversation?"

"Not really." He mumbled under his breathe but pushed off the wall and moved towards them none the less. "If anyone- no way!"

They all looked at him. He was staring at a cat in the doorway. The fluff ball was looking directly at Jace as though he was a piece of fish. It was a Persian cat with a coat that had an odd blue-ish tint to it. _Holy shit. _Izzy thought.  
"That is our newest member. Its Jems cat, evil thing too. We call him-"  
"Church." Clary said in a voice that made Isabelle worry if she was going to pass out.  
"Yes." Charlotte said, "How did you know that?"

"Jem told us about him." Jace lied smoothly.  
He walked over silently towards the cat who just stared at him like Church always did with Jace. It was the look that Isabelle took to mean, _so you gonna rub my back with your toes Jace or what? _

"You little shit." Jace said under his breathe and reached out to pet Church in his favorite stop, right between the shoulders.  
"Oh I wouldn't-" Charlotte started but it was to late, Church caught Jace in the hand with his paw and Jace jumped back with a yelp.

"Bad kitty."

Church didn't like that at all, he hissed at Jace, and his fur stud on end.

"I told you Isabelle you made him pudgy!"

Isabelle looked down at Church, he was much thinner.  
"She made him pudgy?" Charlotte asked.  
Jace –being the master liar that he was- said, "I have a cat that looks just like Church at home. See Izzy, this is what he's support to look like."

Isabelle rolled her eyes at him, her hands on her hips. "He likes the scraps I give him."

They all watched as Church walked circles around Jace's feet, purring happily.  
"Amazing." Charlotte said astonished. "That cat has not taken a liking to anyone except Jem and even he doesn't do that with him."

Jace smiled at her and stupidly tried to pet Church again but was met with the same result.  
"Will you stop traumatizing the cat, Jace!" Simon hissed, he had never liked Church.

"Charlotte!" It was Henry's voice calling from the hallway. He came into the room and flat out ignored them. "The Enclave just sent this message." He reached out and handed Charlotte an envelope. He saw Jace then and turned in a circle like he had just noticed them.

"Oh dear." Charlotte signed. "Sophie dear?"

Isabelle turned with surprise; she hadn't even seen her standing there against the wall.  
"Can you go fetch Will for me?"

Sophie left the room without a word.

"We will leave you two it then." Jace said. "See yea kitty." He whispered to Church. The cat glared at him.

"Oh actually, I may need your assistance." Charlotte called before they had reached the door.  
"You called Charlotte?" Will had entered the room from the door that led to the west wing of the institute. He looked tired.  
"Yes, we have a report of something strange killing mundanes downtown in the poorer district, it says here that it comes out in the early morning before sunrise. And since Jem will be out of it for a while I was wondering if you would mind joining him, Jace."  
"What?!" Will yelled. "I don't need him."

"William!" Charlotte snapped, "Jace, would you mind terrible?"

Jace turned to look at Isabelle and Clary, who both nodded enthusiastically.

"We are at your disposal."

"_We_?" Will snarled.  
"Yes." Isabelle walked right up to him, bringing herself to her full height and giving him the most deadly smile she had in her arsenal. "_We_." She looked back at Clary, "We girls like to have fun too."

Will gave her a look between astonishment and curiosity.  
"Isabelle?" Simon hissed through his teeth.

Izzy turned so quick that her hair whipped William Herondale in the face. "When must we be ready?"

"3 o'clock in the morning but I'll give you guys until 3:30 that give you a half an hour to get your hair and make-up done but that's it." Will said snidely.  
"That might be enough time." Clary said trying to sound like a _girly-girl. _"Will that be enough time for you?"

William glared at her and that snapped Jace in half. He moved across the room so fast that Will didn't even have time to plink. Jace had him pined up against the wall, his elbow at Will's throat.

"I'll help Charlotte," He growled, "but I will not get us killed because we have to be with someone who can't get his head on strait."

"My head is fine." Will snapped at Jace.

"No it's not or you wouldn't be trying to prove your manhood too my girl and my sister. So," Jace threw Will to the ground. "We'll be outside an hour before sunrise."

Will looked like he was about to explode. His face was bright red and his eyes looked like they were about to pop out of his cute head. Isabelle was afraid for a moment that he might try to fight Jace but if he was planning on getting his ass kicked here to Sunday it didn't happen.

"That is enough out of you William!" Charlotte said curtly. "Go get ready and if I hear of anything going awry because you can't play nice-"

"You won't." Was all he said before leaving the room, slamming the door behind him.

"Do you still have our gear?" Clary asked, Will all but forgotten.

"Alec should have it in his room." Jace said still staring at the door Will stocked out of.

"I'm sorry Jace." Charlotte said but he cut her off.

"No need to worry Charlotte, we'll be fine and we'll keep Will from getting himself hurt." Jace pointed a toe at Church and ran his shoe across the kitty's back. He purred at the contacted at looked at Jace sadly when he walked away.

"Oh Simon I want you to stay here." Jace said when Simon started to follow.

"What? Why?"

"Cause if Alec gets back you're here."

"But-"

"Simon," Izzy cooed. "Please?"

Simon looked at her sadly. He reached out and put his hands on her hips. "Please be careful, babe." He said so only she could hear.  
Isabelle wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him. She was planning on giving him a proper good-bye kiss but Jace interrupted.  
"Let's go Izzy!" He yelled.

Isabelle pecked Simon on the cheek before following her brother and –soon to be more then sister- out of the room. Isabelle couldn't help but think of the parabatai ceremony she had watched when Jace and Alec became parabatai. She could wait to become Clary's.


	20. Women on Point

Clary:

Jace was right; Alec did have their gear in a bag under the bed in his room, though Clary didn't remember Alec having the bag when they left the clothing shop. She felt sort of stupid not wondering what had become of their 20th century Shadowhunter gear and cloths, but she didn't worry about that now. Jace didn't care about Izzy but when Clary took her old cloths out of the bag Jace snatched them away from her with a look that Luke had given her a few weeks ago when she had gotten dressed up to go on a date with Jace. _"No way in hell!"_ He had said and told her to change into his extra 18th century cloths. She liked them better then the dress. Not that the dress wasn't beautiful but remembering how hard it was running to get Will after Jem had fallen ill, she would not jump at her next chance to get back into a dress. Isabelle dressed quickly, telling Clary that she would meet them at the front door and left before Clary had even gotten done putting on her pants. When she was done changing Clary went to meet Jace in his room.

"Jace?" She called.

"Come on in, Clary."

She opened the door too see Jace fussing with the buckles on his gear. Isabelle was the only one back in her 20th century cloths Jace didn't bother to change. Apparently he had just chucked his gear on over the shirt Sophie had given him.

"Here." Clary said and moved forward to help him with his gear.

Then she was done he put his hand over hers and stayed still. She heard him take multiple deep breathes.

"What is it Jace?"

Jace didn't answer or he didn't answer with words. He grabbed her hand and spun her around to the front of his body, grabbing her by the waist and pressing her to the wall. He kissed her fierily, with a hunger that he never had before. His lips moved so strong against hers what she couldn't fight it and kissed him back. She tried to keep in mind that they were do on the front steps of the institute in 10 minutes but it dissolved the moment his tongue slipped between her lips –without permission.

"Jace." She moaned then remembered. "Jace!" She screeched and pushed hard against him. It felt like cutting off her own skin but she did it, she would not give Will the satisfaction of making him wait as she 'did her hair and make-up' or make-out the Jace.

"What's the problem?" He said in a husky voice that almost made Clary loss the argument.

"We have a demon to go deal with remember?" She said as evenly as she could mange with the taste of Jace still in her mouth.

"It won't go anywhere." He said and moved in for the kill.

"J-" He kissed her, "Ja-" He pressed his hips to hers, "JACE!" She screamed and pushed him back.

"Why not?" He said exasperated looking down on her with his tawny eyes.

"Because," She couldn't help laugh at his expression. "We have people waiting for us."

"They can wait."

As he reached for her she grabbed his wrist and twisted, ducking under his arm and trapped it against his back.

"Ow!"

"Be good, I mean it!" Just because she could, she stud on her tip toes and nipped his ear. Then turned on her heals and ran out the door before he could do anything about it.

_What the hell was that all about_? She wondered as she waited in the hall for Jace. He was always Mr. Serious when they were about to go hunting, making sure she was beyond focused, her gear cinched up tight, making sure that all her seraph blades were properly secured in their sheaths. She would tease _him_ and would try to distract him by nipping at his fingers as he did up the collar of her gear. _"Focus Clarissa!"_ He would scold, _"This isn't a game, don't treat it like one."_ She thought he'd be more serious with the way he had treated William in the parlor. Jace stepped out and took her hand without a word and led her to the front door of the institute. Of course Will was already out there in his old fashion gear. He stood there twirling a seraph blade between his fingers. Izzy was leaning on the fence looking at her nails as though they were the most fascinating things on the planet. After two days here the sight of Isabelle in her usual dress was quite a shook. Her cloths were even very modest –or at lest by Izzy's standards, but Clary still knew why Will was averting his eyes. Compared with women of his time Izzy was one step shy of being naked. And –truth be told- so was Clary. She was suddenly grateful that Jace had made her wear these instead of her other cloths –although he had treated her as though she wasn't wearing any cloths a few minutes ago.

"Head up, Herondale." Jace said as he passed.

Will looked as though he was going to hurl the knife at Jace. Clary stepped in front of Will, blocking Jace from him.

"You ready, Izzy?" She asked.

Izzy gave her a look and Clary just nodded.

"Where exactly are we headed?" Isabelle asked.

Will looked down at a piece of paper Clary hadn't noticed he had been holding.

"Clary!" Jace called.

She turned to see him staring at her and Will. He picked up his hand and motioned her over with an index finger.

"What's up?"

"I want you to stay right on my ass at all times got it?"

_There you are Mr. Serious_. She thought.

"I don't trust William and I don't want you to get into a situation that puts your life in his hands do you understand? It's just the tree of us like back home, he's just a wild card treat him as such."

And with that he walked away from her. Clary just signed, she'd find out what his problem later.

"Follow me." Will said without looking at any of them and marched down an alley that crawled around the back side of the institute. Clary tensed as she saw a man in the alleyway before remembering that they had on glamour. Clary moved to walk with Izzy because Jace was now completely ignoring her. _'Stay on my ass' my ass! _She thought bitterly.

"What the hell happened?" Isabelle whispered into Clary's ear.

"Now is not the time Isabelle." Clary answered.

"Cause we're walking? Yes, must concentrate on that you know? Wouldn't want to trip."

Clary rolled her eyes but didn't give in to Izzy's teasing. As an hour passed Clary had to bite her tongue to keep from calling out like a kid, 'are we there yet?'. Instead she said in a dignified manner, "How much longer, Will?"

"Not much-" He broke of as a figure moved out of the shadows. It was a man; he looked like one of the sailors from Master and Commander. His greasy red hair was tide at the nape of his neck with a piece of what looked like butchers twine and his cloths looked as though they had not been washed in months. He had his arms around a young woman in a reveling, tattered dress. They were both drunk swaying this was and that as they tried to grab at each other. He reached under her dress and she slapped his hand away with a giggle. Then the light hit him and he jumped back as if he had been burned.

"That would be him." Jace said and like an ocean wave they all dissolved into the shadows that hung like black curtains against the wall.

"What do you want to do?" Clary asked Jace but it was Will who answered.

"I don't know. That prostitute posses a problem."

Isabelle cursed, "And here I am with my marks showing."

Clary watched disgusted as the demon continued to try to touch the unsuspecting girl. The girl –who couldn't have been more then 15- moved out into the light of the sunset.

"Get back over here." The demon growled.

The girl laughed, "Come and get me!" She giggled.

The monster looked murders.

"Jace!" Clary hissed. They couldn't let this go on.  
"Alright." Jace snapped, he was looking all around, thinking of a strategy. "William-"

"Who put you in charge?" Will agued but just then the demon reached out despite the sun and grabbed the girl. She cried out in pain and he slammed her up against the wall. "What's your plain?" He breathed.

"We don't want to scare him and we don't want the girl to see this _guy_ getting killed by invisible people. Clary your runes are covered so your point." The girl cried out again and Jace spoke faster. "Izzy got your whip?"

"Yes."

"Use it! When Clary gets the girl away tie it up, no games, no teasing just do it! Will and I will be on the roof here-" He pointed, "and here incase it gets away."

"It won't." Isabelle said and moved deeper into the shadows.

"Are you sure the women should be point?" Will asked.

Clary glared at him and forced the glamour to flow away from her. It felt like standing under a shower head. She looked around on the ground for something to cover her hair with and hopefully her face as well.

"You see anything I can cover my head with?"

Will pulled a scarf looking thing from around his neck and moved toward Clary with it. She saw Jace stiffen as William twisted her hair into a bun and tied the scarf around her head the way a biker wears a bandana. He looked at her for a moment before reaching down and rubbing his hands on the ground, without a word to her he rubbed the filth from the street into her face.

"Let's get into position." He said and began to clime up the wall behind him.

"Be careful." Jace said as he passed her, and then disappeared onto the roof of the building across the alley.

Clary moved down the alley, staying deep within the shadows until she got closer. The demon was pressing its body against the girl's as she yelled. Clary could help think, _good for you_, as she watched her fight it, as useless as Clary knew it was.

"Hey!" She shouted at the top of her lungs. "You thought you could get away without paying!?" She tried to make her voice as low as possible. Distract it enough so that the girl's got a chance to runaway.

The demon held the girl by the throat. "Get out of here little boy!" It snarled, "This got nothing to do with you."

Clary thought fast, "I don't care about your horny fix!" She yelled, trying to sound as much like a guy as possible, she channeled her inner Eric. If anything would piss it off so much that it forgot its _snack_ it would be Eric. "You can get back to it after you pay me!"

"Pay you for what!?" It loosed his grip on the girl's neck as it yelled at Clary.  
She moved into the shadows and lend up against the wall, just out of arms reach.

"I know the prices are steep, I don't make them, I just beat up the bitches who don't pay it." She said in her best interpretation of Eric. _Simon would be proud;_ she thought and smiled coolly at the monster.

"Beat up?" It laughed and thrashed the girl around like a rage doll. She whimpered and fell to her knees in tears.

_Jesus Christ, hurry it up Fray. _

"You're just a little mundane." It hissed, "You don't even know what I am. I will kill you without even touching you. I will crush your bones with my teeth. I-"

Clary rolled her eyes. "Yeah, yeah just give me my money." That did it.

The demon forgot all about the girl and jumped for Clary. She dogged its attack easily, rolling onto her side. The girl was still hunched on the ground, hugging her knees to her chest. _Come on girl, get out of here!_ Clary begged as the monster lunged at her again. Its hand grabbed Clary's wrist, slammed her into the wall and laughed as it punched her repeatedly in the face. Better her then the mundane girl. Who was moving towards them with a two-by-four. Clary blocked the demons next punched and jammed her knee up into its ribs.

"Get out of here!" Clary screamed at he girl, thank god she obeyed, running down the alley as fast as she could go.

Clary was grabbed from behind, it's hands wrapping around her face. Clary yelled as claws grew from its hands and dug into her forehead. Then he was ripped off of her with a low angry scream. Will's scarf came off with it's hands and her hair spiraled around her as she spun around to see what hadz happened. Izzy hade her golden whip wrapped around its neck it was looking at Clary with eyes wide and mouth gapped.  
"A women?!" It hissed. "What is this?"

Isabelle kicked it in to back and it sprawled out in the dirt and cheerfully –as though she was wrapping a present- she twirled her whip around its arms and legs.

"Your-" He started.

"Shadowhunters?" The voice was Jace's, "Yes you piece of shit." He passed Clary and grabbed the demon by its hair, throwing it up against the wall. Will walked up behind Clary and gave her a startled look before moving to stand by Jace. The monster laughed. "Oh so is this how it's done now a days? You let the women do the heavy lifting and then you just dance in for the kill?"

Will looked horrified but Jace only smiled as Isabelle said. "We're better at foreplay then they are." She pulled on the whip and the demon cried out in pain.

"Very tough," it hissed again. "When I was last here- AHH!"

Izzy pulled on the whip so hard that the demon fell sideways and blood began to drip down the gold metal. "Aw what, can't handle it?"

"That's enough." Will hissed and moved in with his Seraph blade held high.

"Wait." Jace said placing a hand on his arm. "I have a question for you and if you answer them we'll let you go."

"What?!" Will yelled.

But Jace ignored him and continued. "If you lie to me or refuse to answer." He nodded at Izzy who tightened up the whip making it wince. "What do you think of my offer?"

The demon looked at Jace, "I find it… fair."

"No!" Will yelled again. "This is not how we do things-"

"Oh shut up William!" Jace barked back. "Enough of your squabbling!"

Will looked furious but he kept quite.

"Now, for my first question. Are there any more of your kind here?"

The demon looked steadily at him for a moment before answering. "No." he said calmly, "or if there is I don't know."

Jace looked at Isabelle then to Clary. "You think he's telling the truth?"

"I think we should give him the benefit of the doubt." Izzy said with a smile and Clary couldn't help but laugh.

"Hmm…" Jace moved closer to the demon. "I'll accept that, Will you got anything to add?"

Clary couldn't see his face but by the way his back tensed he had nothing to add.

"Fine, Clary?" Jace turned to her. "Would you like to do the horrors?"

Clary moved without ceremony to the demon. She pulled out her Seraph blade and before the demon could even so much as blink she ran him through. Every time they kill a demon Clary is always transported to the night she had first laid eyes on Jace, Izzy and Alec. All demons died the same way, or lesser demons anyway. Blood bubbled up around the hilt of the blade and the demon seemed to fold in on itself until it disappeared. No sooner had the demon died that Jace was holding Clary.

"Are you alright?" He demanded. He took her face in his hands and looked at the cuts in her skin.

"They don't hurt." She said truthfully. She couldn't feel them at all.

"Really?" Izzy asked reaching out to take Clary's hand. "They look real bad."

How Isabelle had managed to have a make-up mirror with her Clary couldn't imagine. They weren't cuts, they were gashes, full chunks of skin were gone from she cheeks and forehead and green liquid fell from them like tears.

"You weren't going to let him go." Will whispered.

Clary tried to look at him but Jace held her face firm. "We don't have time to discuss your lack of trust in your fellow shadowhunters, William! This is demon venom," He ran his a gentle finger over her cheek under one of the gashes, whipping away some of the poison. "We need to get her to the institute."


	21. Authors Note:

Hey guys! Its KoMoose here 3 I just wanted to say thank you all for the loving reviews it means the world to me! So here is my dilemma... I am about to loss my internet for a while... about a month... so I can do one of two thinks! Ready? I can either upload all the chapters I have written so far and continue writing the story but you all wont get a new chapter for a good month after I upload my last chapter OR I can finish the story and you can all have it in a day or two (If I can wrap it up all nicely in that amount of time).

That do you all think?

~KoMoose


	22. A Lot to Learn

Will:

"Why don't you just use an iratze to heal her?" Will asked as they hurried to the institute. _Why hadn't you fought Jace for the lead! _He yelled at himself, _you could have set him out as the diversion! Not the girl who looked like she couldn't lift -let alone weighs- more then 80 pounds. Idiot! Jace almost got her killed! _

Clarissa was leaning on Jace, her breathing was heavy and her shoes caught on every crack in the road. Jace had put a Mendelin rune on her but not a healing rune. Will couldn't understand it.

"It wouldn't-" Jace swung Clarissa up and into his arms. "I'm not waiting for you guys to keep up; I'll see you at the institute!" He took off running at full speed.

Will, try as he did could not keep up.

"So why didn't he use an iratze on her?" He asked Isabelle who wasn't even trying to keep up with her brother.

"Don't you know what kind of demon that was?" She looked at him astonished.

Will lifted his chin, "An Eidolon."

"No, it was a Solisortus, they have much the same abilities as an Eidolon but they can only shape sift once and they are poisonous. If Jace were to use an iratze rune on her it would heal up the cuts locking the poison inside her body."

William looked at Jace who was a good 20 yards ahead of him, Clarissa's legs dangling in the air as he ran. Will didn't know that, he had heard of a Solisortus demon but had never seen one. He would have healed Clarissa's wounds not knowing about the poison.

"How long have you been a shadowhunter?" Isabelle asked, not unkindly but Will still felt as though she was making fun of him. Telling him he wasn't as good a shadowhunter as her brother.

"7 years."

"Oh, you have a lot to learn." Isabelle said with a smile. "Don't feel a loss of self worth dear sir," She joked, she seemed to do that a lot no matter what the situation. "The man who raised Jace trained him to be the best shadowhunter alive. He's training started the second he was born, he was born to be the best and his," she signed, "_father_ would expected nothing but perfection from Jace, so perfection he gave him."

Will didn't ask questions because of the way Isabelle said the word 'father' Will already knew the answers.

The sun was fully raised when they reached the institute. Jace didn't wait for anyone to open the doors he slammed his foot against it but it did nothing.  
"I've got it." Will said and ran to the door.

"Where is the informatory?" He asked bolting through the doors the moment Will got them opened.

"This way!" Will yelled and ran down the right hallway.

He turned to make sure Jace was following him, he was but Isabelle had disappeared.

Will threw the doors to the informatory open. "Place her there." He said pointing to the one of the beds on the wall. "I'll go get-"  
"CLARY!" The voice was Simon. He ran into the informatory and did a full 360 turn before spotting Clarissa.

She was conscious watching Jace as though he had lost his mind.

"Oh my god, Jace what did you do!?" Simon growled.

"She'll be fine, Simon." Jace said calmly, "Don't worry."

"Don't worry!?" Simon yelled, "Look at her face!"

Will and Jace both looked at her face. There were 5 long gashes on both sides of her face, blood mix with the green liquid what was demon poison.  
"I'm fine really," Clary insisted, "It doesn't hurt. Seriously I don't feel a thing."

Jace walked over to her and grabbed her lip. "Do you feel this?"

"No."

He pinched her lip harder. "How about now?"

Well now she looked worried. "I can't feel it, Jace."

"Oh…" He started to look around the informatory. "This is bad, well-" He looked at her with a cheesy smile. "It could actually be fun, for me at lest."

"JACE!" She jumped up and Will thought she was going to hit him.

Jace took her face in his hand, not being careful to watch out for the gashes. "You'll be fine. Don't worry, just go lie down. Will do you have a green house here?"

"Of course, this way."

Will lead Jace silently to the green house, it didn't take long. The green house set just a few corridors to the north of the informatory. It was drenched in green light and smelled like dirt.

"Okay I need…"

Jace gave him a list of plants and Will got half and Jace got the others.

"Jace." Will said as they made there way back to the informatory.

"What?"

"Why did you send her in first?"

Jace looked at him, "Because her runes were completely covered."

"You still sent a girl-"  
Jace held up his hand, "Okay let me stop you right there. Clary is a shadowhunter just like me, just like you, sending her in there was no different then if I had had you do it."

Will just stared at him. He tried to think of _Clary_ as a demon hunter like himself, it was hard, she was still a young women and he was a man, Jace shouldn't have made her the distraction. "If you had known the demon was poison-"  
"Yes." Jace said before Will had finished speaking.

Back in the informatory Will couldn't help but be impressed with the Jace's ability as a healer. He made a paste out of the herbs they had collected and some other –in Will's eyes- random ingredients and spread it on the gashes along Clary's face. Clary sat still as he did this, completely trusting Jace to know what he was doing.

"There." He said placing bandages over her cuts. "Once you regain feeling in your face let me know."

"And how will I know that?"

Jace looked at her sadly. "It's going to hurt."

She bit her lip so hard it started bleeding.

"Frey your making you lip bleed, please stop it." Simon said, sounding bored with a mix of worry. It was an odd mix.  
"What happened?!" Charlotte yelled.

Will groaned, sadly she heard him and turned on him like a hunting falcon on a mouse.

"What did you do? I told you to-"  
"It wasn't Will's fault Charlotte. I let the demon get the drop on me."

Charlotte hitched in a breathe and went to Clary. "Of my dear, Clarissa." She reached out as though to touch her face then thought better of it and put her hand down at her side. "What happened?"

"It was my fault." Isabelle said, "I was supposed to be watching your back Clary but I didn't realize you were in over your head-"  
"I wasn't in over my head! I just made a mistake I turned my back to the demon and," She motioned to her face. "I'll be smarter next time." Then she screamed. "Jace!"

Jace ran over to her and began to peel the bandages away from her face.

"Ow, Jace."

"It's alright." He cooed and once he was done he took out his stele. He pulled down the collar of her shirt, exposing her collarbone. Will watched as he pressed the tip of his stele to her collarbone and began to create the healing rune.


	23. Ying and Yang

So I have figured out that I love writing from Simon's pov! He is so much fun 3

I will upload all the chapters I've done and I will either finish or I'll make it into a sequel over the next month. Thank you all for your support!

* * *

Simon:

Clary was all healed up with five tiny, barely seen scars before breakfast and at the table Jace, her and Izzy threw around tales of their battle. Will –not to Simons surprise- did not join in.

"Haha! What did you say Clary?" Jace said laughing. "'I don't make the prices I just beat up the bitches who don't pay it.'"

"I was channeling Eric." Clary said.

Simon laughed so hard it hurt his ribs.

"I even tried impersonating his voice." She said in her best impression of Eric that nearly made Simon pee his pants.

"Oh… very good Fray! Very good." Simon cheered and slapped her on the back.

Simon had the misfortune of looking at William. He really needed to just stop looking at the guy! He looked as though he was plotting something and it would be directed at Jace. _Help him with it or stay out? _

"Excuse me? Alexander Lightwood and Magnus Bane are here."

"It's about time!" Jace –who had been joking a moment ago- looked livid. "Nice of you too send word that you still live Alec!"

Alec walked in with Magnus behind him. Its was like watching a living ying and yang enter the room, Magnus beaming like a school girl who had just had her first kiss while Alec looked like he wanted to set them all on fire.

"Hallway now." He turned and walked back out of the room.

They all stared after him.

"Um who was he talking too?" Magnus asked and was replied with the answer.  
"Jace, get your ass out here!"

They all looked at Jace, he looked like he wanted to melt into the seat. "I don't want to go."

"Jace!"

Clary and Isabelle moved at once, each grabbing one of Jace's arms and throwing him towards the door.

"Alright, alright!" He growled at them and went to join Alec in the hall.

"Spy or not spy that is the question?" Simon whispered just as he heard the argument start.

"Alec listen-" Jace started but Alec cut in.

"No, you went on a hunt without me."

"Yes, and it turned out fine."

"Fine!? Look at-" Alec practically ran back into the room and over the Clary. "Fine?" he yelled and grabbed Clary's face by her chin. "Does this look fine to you Jace?"

Clary smacked his hand away, "What's wrong with my face?"

Alec ignored this.

"Nothing, Clary." Jace said

"Jace," Alec said, his eyes closed. "You went in to battle half BRAIN DEAD!" He yelled. "With a shadowhunter who…" He stopped talking and covered his face with his hands.

"Alec-"  
"Alec, what?" Alec challenged.  
"Well it wasn't like you where incredible available."

"Oh! Cause it's so hard to swing by Magnus's and to get you parabatai to help you fight a Solisortus demon!"

Will stud up, "How did you know that's what it was?"

Alec looked at him. "You didn't know that? What did you think it was?"

"An Eidolon. We all thought it was an Eidolon."

If the look Alec made before was livid it was nothing compared to how he looked now.

"Alec," Isabelle cooed but it was too late Alec was gone.  
"You went to fight a demon and you couldn't even identify it correctly?" He said each word as if it was something alive and dead all at the same time.

Simon looked around for Magnus, if anyone could calm him down the candy man can. He was pressed up against the wall looking amused; watching the scene like it was a rerun of Full House. Simon went to stand next to him. At this angle it did look like a scene from a TV show.

"You know, you could do something to make Alec not kill Jace."

Magnus looked at him and smiled. "No, I don't want to get in Alec way. I wont risk getting hit in the cross fire."

"Smart."

"Okay so we didn't asses the situation properly." Jace said.  
"Properly? It sounds as though you didn't asses the situation at all! Jace…" He took a deep breathe. "Do you know why we are so good together?"

Jace gave him a tongue-and-cheek smile but squashed it with one look from Alec.  
"You are the best shadowhunter of our generation, Jace. You and Isabelle will go above and beyond in a fight, usual so above and beyond that you both do something completely stupid. Clary is young, as amazing a shadowhunter as you as sweetheart you're still low on training and thus you still lack the skills to asses a situation in the heart of it. You turned your back on the demon didn't you?"

She looked at her feet.

"You know what my job is? You know why I'm usually not the one to kill the demon? It's because my job is to make sure you all come out of it alive. Jace, Isabelle!" He finally looked at his sister. "You left without our team and Clary paid for it! I'm going to bed." Alec said abruptly and moved towards the door.

"Alec." Jace reached out and grabbed his hand. "We're sorry, we didn't even think to come get you, we thought with Will, we'd be alright. Clary went in there like that because she was the only one who's Marks were fully covered. There was a girl the demon was tormenting and we needed to get her safe before we dealt with it. Isabelle was her back up and Will and I were on the roof of the building incase the thing tried to book it."

"Good plain, Jace but you still went in there without your partner."

"I know and I'm sorry Alec."

Alec gave him a long look before shaking his head. "This isn't the first time Jace."

"I couldn't bring you with me, Alec."

"Yeah, almost got yourself killed because, like today, you didn't know what you were up against and because of it you all made little mistakes that resulted in you getting hurt."

"I understand, it's a lesson that with be remembered."

Now Alec smiled, "Yeah right." He said and continued his way to the door.

"Where are you going?" Simon asked.

"I'm going to bed, I tired." He said without turning. "I haven't slept much and I am not needed. Magnus needs to talk to all of you so I'm going to take a nap. Wake me up if you need me." He added as he walked out the door.

"So…" Jace mumbled, which he only did when Alec or Clary were mad at him. "What do you need Magnus?"

_It's odd_, Simon thought, _how Jace and everyone else seemed to forget about the other person in the room who was trying to blend into the shadows. _Simon let him.

"Why don't we go on a walk." Magnus stated.

Jace held his arm out for Clary and she took it. Simon did the same with Isabelle and they followed Magnus out the door.

"Alright." He said as they hit the pavement –or cobblestones. "This is what Alec and I figured out. There was nothing wrong with the physical portal, I read the spell to Alec and he thinks that _I_ had pronounced one of the words wrong."  
"Well that's happened before." Isabelle said. "But that usually results in sending you a few miles off your mark, not all the way to the 18th century!"

Magnus glared at her. "I know that Miss." He turned down one of the side streets and Simon almost asked where he was taking them but Magnus began talking again. "I either really messed up the incantation or its something else."

"What was the word?" Jace asked.

"Well that's the thing, Alec can't remember what I said, he just knows that the incantation I said back in my apartment was not he same one the _me_ in your time said or at lest one word wasn't right. So I'm going to read the incantation to you and you tell me if you hear anything off and more importantly try to remember what it is I did say."


	24. Home

Alec:

Alec changed into the cloths Magnus gave him and lied down on the bed, staring up at the ceiling. He could help smile as he thought of last night. To say Magnus had been enthusiastic was an understatement. Alec had seen and experienced a lot in his 18 years but when he thought about it he had never seen anything as beautiful as Magnus with no cloths on. A knock on the door took Alec out of his fantasy. He didn't want to get it, he really was tired. The knock came again.  
"I'm coming." Alec called out and got up to get the door. It was Gideon. "Mr. Lightwood."

"Alec, isn't it?"  
Alec nodded.  
"May I come in please?"

Alec hesitated. _That did he want?_ "Of course."

Gideon walked in calmly, his hands clasped behind his back. He looked around and then looked back at Alec. We looked at each other for a long moment, sizing each other up. Alec couldn't help compare Gideon to himself. Physically they were nothing alike. Gideon was half a head taller then Alec and was bigger boned. His features weren't as sharp as Alec's either. His color was the exacted opposite of Alec's. Alec was the sky at night, were Gideon was a beach on a sunny day.

"I wanted to talk to you. Ask you some questions really, if that's alright?"

Alec sat on his bed and motioned for Gideon to set in an over size chair in the corner. "Ask anything you'd like." He told him, "But I can't guaranty I'll be able to answer all your questions."

Gideon nodded. "Well first I guess I was wondering why I never knew about you."

Alec rubbed the back of his neck, _cause I will be born a 100 years after you die. _"I didn't know about you either." Alec lied. "My guess is a family feud of some kind?"

"Who are your parents?"

"Robert and Maryse Lightwood." No reason to lie.  
"I don't know who they are." Gideon said sadly, he looked at the floor.  
"I wouldn't think you did." Alec said gently. He couldn't understand why Gideon was taking this to heart.

"What would you be?" He said still looking at the floor. "A cousin?"  
"Maybe," Alec said softly. "I really don't know." Then he asked, "Was that man at the Enclave meeting your father?"

"Yes." Gideon said looking up finally. "Why is your family at the African Institute? I mean, how long has the Lightwood family been running it?"

Alec wasn't good at thinking, lying at the drop of a hat. That was Jace's thing; it's what he was good at, Alec was good at standing behind him and nodding in agreement. "I'm not sure." Alec muttered not sure of what to say. "I don't know who ran it before my parents but I was raised there."

"And how do you like… where are you exactly?"

"Luanda."

"I don't know where that is." Gideon admitted.

"I would be a shock it you did."

Gideon nodded. They sat in uncomfortable silence, each to shy to break it. Alec was looked around the room and wondered what state his room would be in when he returned to it. Would it be a mess? Or would it be tightly like he left it?

"What are your parents like?"

This question puzzled Alec, what would that matter? "Um…" He thought for a moment. "My parents are…" _My parents_ he almost said. _What were they?_ His father was soft spoken where his mother was as sharp as a knife. They were polar opposites, sometimes Alec wondered why they were together. The more he thought about them the less special and less like parents they seemed. They were always away on business, leaving Alec and Isabelle –then later Jace- alone for months at a time to fend for themselves. Sure they had Hodge but he wasn't their parents. Now, without him, it was just the three of them and Alec had to step up and be the adult, the parent. He didn't really mind it; he always was the acting parent, even when it was just him and Izzy. "They aren't really around much; they are always away on business for the Clave."

"Oh." And that was that.

They lapsed back into silence. Then there was a knock on the door.

"Mr. Lightwood?" Called a voice Alec didn't recognize but Gideon bolted to the door like he was on fire.

He opened the door to reveal Sophie Collins. She was staring at Gideon in surprise.

"Oh I'm sorry," She said, not taking her eyes off of him. "I didn't… I'll come back later."

"No," Gideon reached out and took her hand which looked to startle her even more. "I was just asking Alec some questions about my new found family members. What do you need?"  
Still only looking at him she said. "Jace Lightwood asked if I could come and get Alec but if you are…"

"No." Alec said standing. Finally Sophie looked at him. "I think we were done, right?"

Gideon pealed his eyes away from Sophie. It looked painful. "Yes, thank you for your time, Alec."

Alec returned his smile. "Where is my brother?"

"In the dinning hall with the rest of your family and Magnus Bane." She gave him an odd look when she said Magnus's name the gossip of their relationship had spread.

"Thank you Sophie."

Gideon still hadn't let go of her hand as Alec passed them and went to find his family in the dinning room. They were all sitting at one end of the table, huddled together and talking in stern voices to low for Alec to make out. Magnus was the only one not participating. He was standing in the doorframe facing the hallway.

"What's going on?"

They all looked at him, all accepted Magnus. They were all beaming and Alec knew what was going on before Jace answered.

"We're going home."

* * *

The End!

* * *

Here is a sneak peek of the Sequel to Magnus's Portal (of the same name cause I'm to lazy to come up with another one!)

_"Magnus, that's wrong? What's happened?"_

_He still didn't speak; Magnus reached out a hand and stroked Alec's cheek, to run a hand through his hair, over his lips. Alec reached for Magnus's face and his hands came back wet._

_"Magnus?"_

_Magnus took a shaky breathe. "Don't leave me, Alec. Stay here, with me." _


	25. Magnus Portal Part 2

alright here is the start of _Magnus's Portal Part_ 2. Because you are all so awesome I'm going to post a double chapter! Like always please review!

* * *

Alec:

Alec didn't know how to react to this; it was great news but so soon? They had just figured out how they had gotten there. "That do you mean? How?" He was asking Magnus but Isabelle answered.

"Magnus feels that if we recreate what happened it should…"

"Drop us off in the STONE AGE! MAGNUS!"

He didn't even so much as flinch.

"Alec," Someone said but he cut them off by throwing up his hand and walked over to Magnus.

Magnus jumped when Alec touched him, but Alec didn't care. "Can I talk to you for a moment, sweetheart?" He added sourly.

"Alec?" Someone yelled from behind him but he didn't answer, he pulled Magnus out of the dinning room and down the hallway until he found an abandon corridor.

"Alright." Alec said swinging Magnus around to face him and caught the expression on the warlocks face. "Magnus, that's wrong? What's happened?"

He didn't speak; Magnus reached out a hand to stroked Alec's cheek, maybe to run a hand through his hair, or over his lips but Alec reached for Magnus's face, his hand came back wet.

"Magnus?"

"Don't leave me, Alec. Stay here, with me."

"I can't."

Magnus took Alec's face firmly in his hands, "Yes you can." He chocked, "I don't want to wait, I can't. I can't. I don't want to be afraid that something might happen that results in you not being born or that I miss you, go to New York at the wrong time and you're already died! Years for immortals are different. I mean, what am I support to do? Throw a party everyday from 1983 till god knows when hopping you'll show up? I-"  
Alec kissed him. Why couldn't he stop hurting Magnus? He fixes one problem and there he was again hurting the warlock that he loves more then anything.

"You won't have too." Alec said, pulling his face away.

"Are you going to stay?" The hope in Magnus's voice crushed Alec.  
"Can you just trust me?" Alec pleaded. He felt Magnus nod between his hands.

"I trust you Alec."

"Are you sure this is the right thing to do?" Alec asked, "The Portal I mean."

"I can't really be sure of anything now can I? But it makes sense."

"It does?"

Magnus laughed. It always scared Alec how quickly Magnus could go from one emotion to another. "If you think of it without the _time_ you simple ended up in the wrong place and when you do that…" His voice trailed off.

Alec knew the answer.

* * *

Magnus:

"I didn't know you could reverse a portal." Simon said.

Magnus sat on the window sill in one of the bedroom of the institute he watched as people strolled past on their morning walks. Happy couples with their arms entwined.

"It's a spell like any other spell and we're not really reversing it." He said without looking away from the window.

"Are you sure it will work?" Alec's voice was like a punch in the stomach.

Magnus closed his eyes, "As sure as I can be." He said for what felt like the 100th time.

"Magnus?"

Magnus turned to the speaker. "What Clary?"

"What if it doesn't work and we are sent to another time frame?"

"Well," He said calmly, "As long as it isn't past the 16th century you can always find me again but if not there are other warlocks that can assist you for the proper amount of payment or a favor."

She nodded content with his answer. They all stayed silent, fear of the unknown holding their tongues.

"You can always-"  
"Magnus…" Alec breathed. He was looking at Magnus with a strange mixture of content and sadness.

"When can we do it?" Jace asked, coming to stand by Magnus, his arms crossed over his chest.

"I can have it ready in less then a week."

Jace took a deep breathe and nodded. "How much help will you need?"

Magnus thought about it, "Not much, I could probably get it done myself."

"I'll help you Magnus." Alec announced.

Magnus just nodded. "Alright then, we'll get it done as soon as we can."

Magnus stud up and moved towards the door Alec following.  
"Magnus." Alec started but he cut him off.  
"Not right know Alec, I have to focus."


	26. Friend

I'm not sure why this is so sort... sorry about that!

* * *

Jace:

Jace lay in bed and pretended to sleep –for his benefit and no one else's. He wasn't sure what had happened that made him so tired but he was; though no matter how hard he tried, sleep was just out of reach. He flipped onto his stomach and buried his face into the pillow. _Sleep_, he tried to command himself but it didn't work. He jumped out of bed and decided to wonder the halls of the London institute. Maybe a walk would help sleep find him. He wondered the halls not paying attention too what turns he was making or which direction he was taking, he let his mind wonder and fill with Clary. Images of her, fantasies played out only in his mind. Suddenly he saw the scene from this morning, Clary allowing the demon to beat her so the mundane could get away, the look on William's face when Jace held out his hand to wait as Clary was punched repeatedly was burned in the back of Jace's eyelids. Will had been utterly modified at what Jace had done; it was on his face all through breakfast, in the informatory, the green house, whenever his eyes caught Jace's. It was because she was a girl. It had nothing to do with the fact that it was Clary, it just because she was a women and not a man. Clary was a shadowhunter, it was her job just like it was his. She had more field experience then anyone who had been in the demon hunting business as long as she had. She was capable, Jace told himself every time he sent her out there like that and he knew that she told herself the same when he went out there like that. If the demon had grabbed her neck rather then her face… Jace felt like he needed to vomit. It was all part of the territory. He didn't give a shit what Will thought of him but every time he looked at Jace with that look on his face he had been sporting since they had gotten back to the institute made Jace hate himself. Hate the whole situation. He should have gotten Alec. That had been the mistake, not sending Clary in there, it was that they hadn't gotten Alec and as a result they walked in there blind.

"Jace?"

Jace turned slowly, feeling sick to his stomach. Jem was walking towards him without his cane. He looked better, so much better. His face no longer looked pale and his eyes were clear.

"Jem." Jace was utterly surprised to see Jem up and about so soon. "Look at you-" he said as Jem came closer. "-up and about."

"I told you I would be." He said with a smile. "I thought you all were leaving?"

"We were, but Charlotte changed our plans."

"Oh." Jem looked up and down the hall then asked, "Would you like some company?"

Jace nodded.

"Will told me what happened."

Jace groaned, "Look Jem-" but before he could continue Jem cut him off.

"I understand the reason you let her go in first-"  
It was Jace's turn to cut Jem off, "there was no reason." Jace said slowly. "She is a shadowhunter, it's her job." _Remember that J_a_ce. _"It's different where we're from; women get to fight just like we do, their even better… sometimes." He added with a smile. "I mean, Charlotte's a shadowhunter, is she not?"  
"She is." Jem said with a slight smile. "She fights but rarely. It's just an odd thing to see, we're not use to it… Will's not use to it. Speaking of Charlotte, how did she change your plans?"  
Jace explained the situation to him as best he could, leaving out a few bits and pieces that he couldn't tell. Jace and Jem talked for a while about different things, shadowhunting, traveling and Jace couldn't help but think that he had found a friend in Jem.


	27. Pride

Tessa:

Tessa hadn't left Jem's side since he had fallen ill, but now that he was felling better and off who knows where, she didn't know what to do with herself. She had heard the tale of this mornings hunt from Will and as a result she wanted to stay as far from the new Shadowhunters as she could. She knew that wondering the halls would result in her bumping into one of them so she desisted to go where she knew none of them would be. She went to visit Henry. She sat on his work bench as he tinkered with the Clockwork machine. She had seen so many of them that it didn't scare her like it use too, though she did her best not to look at it's opened chest. They didn't talk and Tessa liked it that way. Not that she didn't enjoy talking to Henry she was just enjoying the silence of not thinking and not talking. Just the sound the clink of medal on metal filled the void the silence made.

"Tessa?" Henry finely spoke. "Are you going to tell me why you are hiding in my work shop?"

Tessa froze her eyes still on the piece of metal in her hand. "What makes you think I'm hiding?" she asked innocently.

Henry looked up from his tinkering and smiled at her, the way a father would smile at his daughter when he caught her in a harmless lie. "You never come and visit me, so are you going to tell me who you are hiding from?"

Tessa sighed. "The Shadowhunters who are staying here." She admitted, ashamed of herself. She shouldn't be afraid of them. Jem had told her of their kindness but still she was not at ease.  
"Tessa dear, they are perfectly harmless."

"That's not what Will says." She had not intended him to hear that but he did.

"Will is going to have to get over the fact that their Lightwoods. Its prejudice that blinds him Tessa, do not let it blind you. You're too smart for that."

"So you like them?"

"As much as one can like someone in three days." He stud up and whipped his hands on a cloth, that -by the different shades of gray to black- Tessa knew must have started out white. They remained in silence for the rest of the day, other then the every so often exchange of being ask for a cretin tool. As they walked to dinner Henry sweetly offered her his arm. They were the last ones in the dinning hall. Tessa noticed that again the eldest Lightwood was absent once more. But unlike the other two nights they were not divided into houses as they had been, with the residence of the African institute on one side and the residence of the London institute on the other. Tonight Jem was sitting with Jace and Clarissa on one side of the table. Isabelle and the vampire were sitting on the other side with Gideon and Will -but he was as far away from them as the table allowed. Tessa quickly turned away from him. Instead she turned to Jem, her Jem. He was smiling as the rest at the table laughed. What Tessa could derive from the room was that Isabelle was telling a story, or had just finished telling one.

"Oh, Henry!" Charlotte said laughing. "Come sit. Oh, for give us Simon we should not be laughing." She added, covering her mouth to stifle her giggling. Tessa stole a look at Will, he was the only one at the table not amused by the story. _Its prejudice that blinds him_. Then she reached he pulled out a chair next to him for her to sit down.

"Oh, don't be." Simon replied shaking his head by the look on his face figured the story was about him.

"That was very brave indeed Miss Clarissa." Will said, looking at Tessa with an expression that made her look away hastily.  
Clarissa looked at him softly, as though she thought he was making fun of her. "I had a lot of help." She said looking at Jace.  
"So is that how you became a vampire?" Jem asked, his hand slipping into Tessa's under the table.  
"He bit one of them. I hadn't realized he had digested any of his blood." Jace answered.

Tessa leaned over and whispered into Jem ear. "Why are you all laughing at this?"

"Don't think us as being rude, Tessa." Jem pleaded.  
"No not at all!" Simon interrupted, "It was quite stupid." He smiled at her.

"See Tessa," Isabelle said with a laugh, "we were at a party and I told him not to drink something and what did you do?"

"I drink it." Simon mumbled.  
"It had a spell in it and he was turned into a rat."

"I still think we should have just left him a rat." Jace said, taking a swig of wine.

"You didn't turn me back," Simon argued, "the spell wore off!"

They all laughed even Jem. Then lapsed into silence as they finished their supper. Tessa couldn't understand why she found it so odd that the oldest Lightwood was never among them at dinner time or during any other time of the day. Actually she could not recall seeing Alec sense they had first arrived. "Where is Mr. Lightwood?" She couldn't stop herself from asking.

"Alec?" Clarissa said.

She nodded.

"He's helping Magnus with the Portal to get us home."

Tessa thought of what she had seen the other morning. Alec shirtless, laying across Magnus's lap and prayed that no one noticed the extra blush in her cheeks.

"When are you leaving?" Will asked much too enthusiastically to be out of polite interest.  
Jem knew it too. "William." He hissed.  
"I'm just asking."  
Tessa expected Jace to answer but it was Clarissa who answered also. "As soon as Magnus has the Portal ready," She told him, "we don't know when that is."

Will nodded and focused back on his food. No one spoke again until dinner was over and the guests of the London institute said that they were going to retire.

"You should get some rest to Jem." Will said over the table after they left. "You're starting to pale."

"I feel find, Will."

Tessa looked at him; she didn't think he was any paler then before. Jem was looking at his empty plate almost shamefully. Did he not feel good?

"Tessa?" Gideon's voice flowed to her across the table. "You missed your training today."

"Oh yes, I was helping Henry in his workshop."

They all gave her an odd look but did not press it.

"You will have to make for it tomorrow." He told her. "After breakfast?"

She nodded, "sounds good."

Jem gave her hand a little squeeze. "I'm ready to sleep, are you?"

She nodded and they both left the room, Will watched them go.

"Where were you today?" She asked him.

"I took a walk around the institute and ran into Jace."

Tessa tensed. "And?"

He looked at her with a sweet expression. "We talked, about nothing in particular." He shrugged. "We discussed travels of which he had done a lot of. Weapons, he told me a little about Idris. We just… talked." He said with another shrug.

They reached their room then and Jem seemed reluctant to let go of her hand but she didn't mind. "Well, I'm glad you had a good day."

He took her face in his hands and kissed her. It was a very thoughtful, caring sort of kiss. He pulled away and rested his head against her shoulder. "Tess." He whispered.

"Jem? What is it?"

She heard him laugh. "Does something have to be wrong," He whispered, his mouth moving against her ear, "for me to be so hopelessly in love with you?" He kissed her cheek.

"I guess not." Tessa giggled, Jem's breathe tickling her.

He leaned back and looked at her as he caressed her cheek with his hand. "I love you Tessa."

"I love you too." She told him and leaned into kiss his cheek. At the last second he turned his head and caught her lips with his.


	28. Fear

Magnus:

"Here you go." Alec said, handing Magnus the vile he asked for.

Magnus didn't look at him, he couldn't. Alec sat with his knees held against his chest. Magnus –on hands and knees- drew more symbols in chalk until they met, creating a circle.

"Is it done?"

"Not yet." Magnus said stretching when he got up from his position of kneeling on the floor. "There are three more components we need to get."

Alec moved towards Magnus, "and those are?"

Magnus watched as his lashes fluttered when he blinked, Alec had such think lashes but he doubted that he noticed.

"Magnus," Alec said gently. "Do not make up stuff to prolong this. It's been a three

days-"

"Do you want it do be perfect?" Magnus shouted, "Because that's what I'm trying to do Alec!"

Alec didn't flitch under Magnus's anger, he just looked at him with a sober look. Magnus thought back on the three days he had spent with Alec. Sleeping next to him, waking to his face and kissing him good morning. Taking his hand purely so he could feel him, to make sure he was really there. The thought of being without him made Magnus hurt in away he had never felt before. It hurt when he had found out that Camille had cheated on him but he knew he would be fine. Here, looking at Alec, he didn't know if he would be. "It will be done tonight."

Simon:

"You are not going through withdrawal."

"Uh…." Simon moaned in response.

He felt Clary's hands wrap around his ankles. She pulled. "Get out of bed Simon!" She huffed.

"I can't, I'm dieing Clary and you don't care." He wrapped his hands around the bed frame.

"You. Are. Already. Dead." Clary gasped as she pulled harder.

"What's going on?" Izzy's voice sounded.

"Izzy." He moaned, "Is that you baby?"

"Oh Simon, by the angles! You can't die from not playing videogames!"

"Says you." He said as her face appeared. Her long hair framed her face in an untidy ponytail. Her eyes clear on her irritation. "Simon…" she said slowly, "Do I need to wake up Jace?"

Simon thought about if for a moment. What would happen if she got Jace? "No."

"He's still asleep?" He heard Clary as though from down the hall.

Izzy smiled, "Now get up." She leaned in and kissed Simon.

Simon looked sideways to see if Clary was still watching. When he was sure she was gone he wrapped his arms around Isabelle and pulled her onto him lap. "Can I ask you something?" He asked as she settled in on his chest.

"Hmm…" She looked up at him. "I suppose if you must." She said rolling her eyes before smiling.

He reached up and smoothed back a piece of hair that had fallen out of the tie. "What if we're stuck here, Iz? What if we can never leave?"

Isabelle ducked her head down and onto his chest, not answering.

"Or," Simon continued, "what if Magnus does get the Portal going but it sends us to Camelot or some far off dynasty in ancient China or…"

"Okay I get it." Isabelle slapped a hand on his chest. "Look, I don't know okay." She looked down at his thoughtfully. "My biggest concern is that we land somewhere that the Accord does not exist." She ran a hand through his hair.

Simon knew what that would mean, open season on him and maybe on them too just by association. "I can hide much better then the others of my kind though. I mean, Charlotte didn't even believe I was a vampire."

She nodded though clearly not comforted.

"Isabelle, we are okay. Magnus has never failed us before."

Izzy shot up like he had pinched her. "Not the best argument."

"Okay, okay." He cooed, pulling her back against him. "I'm just saying."

"We don't have to go." She said suddenly.

"Like, stay here?"

She nodded against his chest. "I mean if we come to the Portal and think, hey I really don't want to be stuck into another time, we can stay."

Simon held her tightly. He didn't get to comfort Isabelle all that often, it was nice when it happened. _Alright, _he said to himself, _time to kick her in the pants._ "I'm not afraid to go through."

She stiffened. "Neither am I."

"Babe," He rubbed her back gently. "It's not a bad thing to be." He's work was done, she was up and stalked from the room without another look at him. He smiled after her. He got up and dressed. It still annoyed him how complicated his cloths were. He missed his faded _The Cranberries_ band shirt. He missed Izzy in his faded _The Cranberries_ band shirt. Finally he was able to leave his room in a dignified manner, humming Schizophrenic Playboy as he went. When he passed Clary's room he heard scuffling inside. "Fray?" He said opening the door.

She was perched artist style on a stool. A small piece of canvas, no bigger then your average photograph was on an easel in front of her. Simon never thought he would think a guy was beautiful but on her canvas Jem was. His face was loving and thoughtfully, a piece of violin was visible at the bottom corner of the canvas.

"It's stunning kiddo." He said putting a hand on her shoulder. "How much is Jace's grandfather going to pay you for it?"

"Well, in this timeframe he's paying me ten dollars."

"And in our timeframe?"

"I flunked math remember." Her brush hadn't left the canvas as she talked; now it was taken away from its friend and plunged into a silvery looking paint before it reunited to the canvas.

Simon watched a little longer before asking her if she was heading down to eat. It was odd to him that they rarely saw anyone other then at meal times.

"Jace is going to bring me something." She told him.

"Arighty then." He kissed her head before leaving her too it.


	29. Blood

Isabelle:

She leaned over her plate. "Well played Lewis." She sneered.

Simon smiled as he took the seat next to her. "I know."

Isabelle turned her attention back at her breakfast of eggs and something that resembled sausage but did not taste like it. Jace had completely abounded the mystery meat, complaining that it tasted like she had made it. He was lucky he desisted to seat far away from her. It was odd how quiet the table was, the only people who weren't there were Clary and Alec. Tessa and Jem sat next to each other like always, Will was seating in his usual set next to Charlotte. Gideon was sitting as close to a standing Sophie as he could. Isabelle had been looking for little signs that those too were in love but if it was true they were really good at hiding it. It was so weird comparing her mornings here to the mornings back home where everyone talked and told jokes. Here there was an occasional "how did you sleep?" or "what are your plains for today?" but other then that everyone was silent.

"Excuse me?" Their man servant said, "Alec Lightwood is here."

"Let him in." Charlotte said setting her fork down.

Alec entered alone, no Magnus. That wasn't a good sign.

"Hello Alec, would you like something to eat?"

"No thank you." Alec said, sounding his normal, somber self. "I have actually come to collect my family."

"Is it ready?" Jace said. Suddenly a scream sounded through the room and they all looked around.

"That the hell was that?" Alec said. There was a loud bang coming from down the hall and another scream.

"Clary!" Jace yelled and took off, everyone hot on his heals. He wrenched her bedroom door open to reveal an empty room. "Find her!"

Isabelle didn't pay attention to what anyone else did, she took off down on of halls half aware of everyone else yelling everything from, Clarissa to Clary to Fray to Fairchild. She knew who was yelling Fray. Simon. Isabelle saw him turn the corner in front of her, so she took the other hall.

"Clary!" She yelled then listened to it echo and change into different names by different voices, none of them Clary's. _Oh god, what had happened? _

"Get over here all of you!" Simon's voice called.

Izzy was the first there. Simon was standing in a one of the bedroom. Everything in there was destroyed, anything cloth was ripped into ribbons, dressers were knocked over and men's cloths were everywhere. Red, like pain was everywhere. "Is that…" Isabelle couldn't finish.

"It is, but not all of it is Clary's."

Isabelle's stomach dropped through her feet, not all? She looked around. Next to one of the dressers was a box, inside was something white, a powder.

"Don't touch that!" Yelled a voice as she bent down.

Isabelle spun to see Jem in the doorway looking mortified. Jace push passed him, looking just as mortified. He whipped away some of the blood with his finger looking like he was about to pass out.

"Blood." He stared at Simon, "It's not Clar-"

"No, well not all of it."

"Well who's is it?" Will asked.

"I don't know."

"Simon!"

"I don't know, Jace!"

"Why was she in here?" Tessa asked. She walked over to the corner of the room and picked something up. It was an old violin.

"Maybe she was looking for Jem." Will suggested.

So that's who's room they where in.

"Jace, look at this." Alec was looking at some marks on the wall, long black and dripping. "What is this?"

Before Jace could answer Simon was over there practical pressing his nose to the hall.

"Its oil." Simon moved around, taking deep breathes. He pointed to patches of blood, "This is all that Clock things blood. Only this," He pointed to a spot on the floor, "Is Clary's."

"Where is my Clary?" Jace was kneeling on the floor, in his hand was his ring that Clary know worn around her neck.

Tessa bent to the floor and picked up a necklace that was shaped like an angle and covered in blood.

"Is this Clary's?" She asked softly.

"I've never seen that-" Jace started but Tessa said.

"No," She cut him off. "Not the necklace, the blood."

Simon took it from her and took a deep breathe. "Yes."

"It thought she was me."

"What though she was you?" Jace said, his hands clenched so tightly together that looked like they hurt.

"The Clockwork creature." Jem said. "It must have thought you had Changed Tessa."

Izzy couldn't breathe, she knew all the blood wasn't Clary's but the more she looked at it the sicker he felt.

"Can someone explain what it is you're talking about?" Alec said.

"It's a long story." Will said.

"Give us the sort version." Jace growled. "Or just the parts that concern Clary."

The three of them looked at each other before Tessa began talking.


	30. Tessa Gray

Clary:

She was lying on something hard and cold -stone. She hurt everywhere and she couldn't help but think, _why does this always happen to me? _Her eyes adjusted to the light after a few moments and she looked at her surroundings. She was in a medieval looking dungeon with the bars taken out so there was nothing to hold her in. She got up slowly and spotted a man by the opening were the door should have been. At first she thought it was Jem but no… Jem wasn't that big. Jem was shaped like his instrument where this guy was shaped like a bolder. There was just enough light that his silver hair shown like a beacon. How many people had hair like that? He turned to her as if scenting her watching him. A vampire. His fangs were out as he gave her a cold smile that made the hairs on the back of her next stand up. She –out of habit- reached for her belt in search for a seraph blade, but there was no belt, no weapons. The vampire moved -so quickly that Clary did even have time to flinch- into a standing position. A long shadow crawled up the corridor. A man, he walked into the room with an oil lantern in his hand. He was tall, with dark gray hair and green eyes that shown in the light like emeralds and some where in the back of her head she wondered if her eyes would look that bright when she was that old, if she lived that long.

"Who are you?"

Clary blinked, "what?"

"I want to know who you are and I want to know now."

Clary sat up straighter. "Um, you're the one who kidnapped me; shouldn't you know who I am?"

The man handed the lantern to the vampire and moved towards her. "I didn't take you." He said, "That was my, well you can think of them as my apprentices. They thought you were Tessa Gray."  
Clary thought of Jace, that he would laugh in this mystery man's face and tell him that she and Tessa looked nothing alike. "You should get that… thing's eyes cheeked." She thought of the _thing _coming at her in Jem's room, dripping with blood and eyeless, half of its body was covered in human skin, the rest of it was a metal skeleton.

The man laughed. "Yes well, you can never be sure what or who Tessa Gray looks like."

"So what are you going to do with me know that you know I'm not Tessa?"

"Well it was a simple mistake, and there is no reason to hold you down here like a prisoner. Come!" He held out his arm, "You woke just in time for dinner."

Clary stared at the arm and could think of no way around taking it. She needed to know where she was and being on this dudes good side was the first step in taking her freedom. She smiled, "I am hunger." She said as innocently as she could and took the man's arm.

See looked around but the vampire was gone. "Before dinner," The man said. "would you like to change?"

Clary looked down at herself, she was covered in blood, some still wet and sticky and some dried to her skin and dress -she was impressed how well the dress held up in the fight. "If it's not too much trouble?"

"Oh no trouble at all, Miss?"

Clary hesitated. "Clarissa Fray."

The man nodded, "Good to met you Miss Fray, I am Mr. Mortmain."

She nodded as if the name meant nothing to her as her insides churned. This was the man Charlotte had been investigating, but what did he want with Tessa? Clary was right about the medieval thing; the whole place looked like a castle from a movie. The walls were stone, fire torches sat on the wall in iron holders. She wondered what it looked like from the outside.

"Here, this will be your room while you stay with us."

Clary looked at him. "And how long will that be?"

Mortmain just smiled at her.


	31. Portal

Jace:

Jace paced across the dinning room floor. Everyone was there, staring at him, waiting for him to respond but Jace let Alec take over. "I don't understand what this has to do with us."

"Most of all Clary." Isabelle was leaning against the wall, her whip coaled around her feet. Jace looked at his sister. She looked as worried and scared as he did. Clary was her parabatai, or would soon be.

"It has nothing to do with you." Will said.

"Then why is Clary missing?" Simon asked.

Will looked at Tessa. "Do you want to show them?"

Tessa sighed. "Do you have something of hers?"

Jace touched the ring around his neck. He didn't want to give it too her. "Here." He tossed the ring to here and it physical hurt, seeing someone else with his ring.

Tessa started to stand up as Tessa and ended, as Clarissa Fray. The only one that didn't jump was Alec. She changed back into herself, it was scary. Her hair grew longer and as it did the color went from Clary's fire to mouse brown, her skin bubbled as her skin changed and her bone structure became her own. All of this happened in a split second.

"Nifty trick." Jace breathed.

"Being in my room probably made it think she was Tessa, I mean what other women would be in my room?" Jem asked.

"And why can't we just track her or the Clock thing?" Alec asked, "I mean its blood is all over the room."

Will said, "We've tried tracking them, it doesn't work. As for tracking Clary…"

They all turned to Magnus. "I can try." He said, "Give me her ring."

Tessa gave the ring over to Magnus. He closed his eyes and his hands began to glow. "It's so faint." He whispered.

Jace felt his whole soul drop through the floor. "Faint, like she's…"

"No, I mean… I don't know if she's alright but she's alive." He opens his eyes and dropped the ring onto the table. "Someone's blocking her."

Jace growled and his hand swiped across the table sending china crashing to the floor.

Isabelle gave a slight gasp. "I know how to find her!" She began jumping up and down.

"Are you going to share with the rest of the class?" Alec asked.

Izzy smiled.

"I don't like this." Tessa said, "She shouldn't have to do this."

Jace was standing behind her, with Alec just next to him. He watched as Isabelle -with Jem- walked up the street away from them -Will stud a little away from them. The plain was, the moment they spotted a Clockwork monster Will would go into one of the stores leaving the fake Tessa and Jem alone. He would double back to the institute as they kept walking, fallowed in shadows by Jace and Alec. Tessa was wearing men's cloths around Alec's size and once everything happened she would go back to the institute as him -she was there poorly because they couldn't make her stay home. The Clockwork monster grabs Izzy thinking she's Tessa and brings her back to where their keeping Clary, Magnus tracks Isabelle until she disappears and they move in. Jace made sure that this was first and foremost a rescue mission, getting Clary was number one priority; if Mortmain was there he would be a bonus. It had been an hour and nothing. Jace saw –despite how flippant she was acting- that Izzy was getting itchy.

"She's better suited for this then you are," Alec told Tessa, "and besides, we can't risk this guy actually getting what he wants. Which means the second Will disappears, you turn into me and get out of here." He gave Jace a look that told him just how weird telling her that was.

"I'm sorry this has happened."

Jace looked at her, she did look truly sorry. "We're use to it." Jace said and Alec smiled. Jace looked up to see that William Herondale was gone and Isabelle and Jem were walking alone. Jem looked worried, but Isabelle looked more at ease then she had this whole time.

"Show time." Alec said, "Get out of here-" He broke off as Isabelle screamed.

A man had her around the middle, and she was thrashing around screaming. Jace could feel Alec tense next to him. Jem pulled his jade cane in two too reveal a blade. He stabbed the man through the stomach but it seemed to have no affect on him. Jem pulled it out and lased again. The man –still holding Isabelle with one hand- blocked Jem's blow and retaliated with a nasty back hand right across Jem's face. They all stud stunned as Jem crumbled. Even Isabelle stopped struggling.

"Jem?" Jace heard her say. "Jem!?"

Jace turned to see Alec with his arms around a struggling Tessa, his hand clasped over her mouth. The man pressed something over Isabelle's mouth causing her to black out. Jem still hadn't moved as the man threw Isabelle over his shoulder and started to move away. When the man's back was turned -moving down the street- Jem jumped up and ran over to where the three of them were hiding. Jace let out a breath he hadn't known he has been holding. Alec let Tessa go when Jem entered the shadows.

"Are you okay?" she asked placing a hand on his cheek.

"I'm fine, Tess. Are we going to do this?" He added to Jace.

"Yeah, let's go. Alec-"

"I've got it in my sights."

Jace watched impatiently as the man carried his sister further and further away.

"Go back to the Institute; we'll be back as soon as we get Clary and Isabelle."

"Be careful."

Jace turned in time to see Alec run down the ally away from them. "Let's move."

They kept to the shadows, making sure that they were far enough away not to be spotted by the man. He kept Izzy slung over his shoulder. He didn't seem to be particular rough with her, though he wasn't taking care to be particularly gently with her either.

"When's Will meeting up with us?" Jem asked, he breathing was starting to get heavier but Jace couldn't think about that know.

"Once Magnus gives him the location when Izzy gets blocked from his sight." Alec answered.

Jace looked around, they were in the warehouse district of London and Jace could smell the salt water coming off the ocean. It was getting dark though it was only midday. Dark clouds were rolling in from the ocean and were in the process of blocking out the sun. Isabelle had not stirred the entire time and the man look to be in no discomfort carrying Isabelle's 130 pounds.

"Do you have any idea where we're headed, Jem?" Jace asked.

"None."

The man took a sharp turn into one of the allies, causing Jace, Alec, and Jem to duck into the shadows-which wasn't hard as the sun was now completely hidden behind the black clouds. They watched as the man laid Isabelle -none too gently- on the ground and walked to a door off at the end of the ally.

"There appears to be no guard of any kind." Alec noted.

"Not that we can see, Alec." Jace leaned against the wall trying to think. This warehouse was far to close to the institute, way would Mortmain bring 'Tessa' here?

"This seems off." Just as he said to he knew the answer. "A Portal." Alec connected Jace's gaze.

"It would make since." Jem said seeming lost in thought.

"Move in. we can't lose sight of him," Jace said and he and Alec moved forward. "We'll lose time trying to find the Portal ourselves."

"What about Will?" Jem asked as they entered the building.

"I'm not worrying about him at the moment." Jace said as he turned down a hall, the man no more then thirty paces in front of him. Jace was glad for the brakes they were getting. The man never looked back to see if he was being followed and didn't bother closing doors behind him. Suddenly the man stopped and turned slowly back to face them.

He set Isabelle down and moved back up the hall.

"Come out." He said.

No one moved. Jace looked at Alec, "what do we do?" he mouthed.

Alec shrugged. "Let's see if he really knows we're here or if he's bluffing." Alec mouthed back.

He couldn't see them that much was clear; he was looking strait at Jace but couldn't see him through the thick shadows that clocked him. The man bent back down to collect Izzy. He opened on last door and disappeared.


	32. Rain

Clary:

Clary stared at her reflection as a young girl around her age cinched her up. Clary had been in pain before but the pain of treated suffocation was a new thing. She gave a little gasp as the girl finished. By the angles, Clary was going to find whoever invented corsets and kill him! Him, because no self respecting women would ever create such a torture device.

"You're ready Miss Fray." Said the girl setting down the brush she had used to pull the snarls out of Clary's freshly washed hair.

Clary turned to say thank you but she was gone. Clary had an odd longing for Sophie, who had gone to get her paints just out of pour kindness. The door opened then to reveal a man, tall and big, in a dark suite and holding a lantern. His hair was long like the demon sailors but clean and black; his eyes were an odd grey color, the same as the girl who had helped Clary dress and they had the same thick features. _Must be related_, Clary thought as the man walked her to the dinning room. He said nothing as he did, or as he left her standing in the large room on her own. The walls were stone just like the rest of the castle, nothing hung on the walls here but torches, blazing with fire. The table was set with two sets of tableware. The food on the table looked good, fresh and hot with steam still rising off of it. It remanded her startlingly of the scene from Pirates of the Caribbean; she looked down at herself to see that she was in a tan colored dress not burgundy but if everyone here turned into skeletons she would not be surprised, if Jace came to rescue her with Johnny Depp on the other hand…

"Welcome Miss Fray." Mortmain voice came from behind her.

Clary turned to see him standing in the same type of dark suite the man had on that had collected her. "Hello."

He smiled at her, "sit."

She sat in the seat he had indicated. _Be a good girl_ _Clary_, she thought, _so you can stab him in the eye and get the hell out of here!_ She tried to think of how the women in this timeframe were supposed to act but she was drawn a blank. She hadn't realized how hunger she was, the potato soup that had just been set on her plate made her mouth water. Could she start eating? Then a thought hit her, should she eat? She heard in her head Kera Knightly saying how everything was poison. She looked down at her bowl. "I'm not very hunger." She said trying to sound polite.

Mortmain looked at her over his spoon. "You are very smart little Shadowhunter." He leaned forward. "I promise you it is not poison." And to prove it he reached across the table and took a spoonful of her soup and ate it. Clary wasn't satisfied but what else could she do? She took a small spoonful of soup and let it slid down her throat. She couldn't help but think that people in England ate a lot of potatos, she thought that was only the Irish.

"So Miss Fray, I must apologize again for the, ah, mix up. What were you doing at the London Institute, are you stationed there?"

_There_, he said not _here._ She was no longer in London, was she still in England? Clary thought quickly, "No, just visiting." She said simply.

Mortmain nodded and took another bite of soup. "Do you know Miss Gray personally?" "No, I just met her." Clary reached for a bun after Mortmain had and dipped in into her soup before taking a bite. "May I ask way you want Miss Gray?" She asked, copying his nonchalant tone.

"We are to be married."

Clary gagged on a spoonful of soup. "Married?" She said as she coughed.

"Yes." Mortmain said. "We were to be married months ago but she ran away from me."

_Oh poor you_, she thought sharply as she thought of her mother and Valentine. "I'm sorry."

"I'll get her back."

A chill ran up her spine as the pitter patter of rain started on the high windows.

Jem:

Jace and Alec conversed in loud voices but their voice blurred together with the rain. Jem was studying the door the Clockwork man had disappeared from -Jace had run after him but he just entered the next room. The only person Jem had ever heard swear so loudly or with so many different swear words in so different languages was Will. The door look like just an ordinary door, there were no runes to create a Portal and Jem could since no demonic presents.

"Anything?" Jace asked.

Jem shrugged, "I see nothing out of the ordinary. It's just like the other doors." He looked at them puzzled. "Do you remember anything he might have said or done? A spell or something of that nature?"

"No." Alec answered.

Jace's eyes went wide. "It was him."

"It was who?"

"Charlotte told Izzy that the Clockwork things run on demon energy is that correct?"

"Yes." Jem said.

"What if that's the key?"

"Oh!" Alec said. "That actually makes since. In Mag… Um, there's a warlock I know that have a room in his home that only he can go through because he's part-demon." "It's a hell of away to make sure you can't be followed by Nephlims." Jem said, "So how do we get through?"

"If we could bring the Clockwork thing that you guys have in the basement here-"

"She's dead." Jem explained, "She has been for weeks now, there is no demonic presents in her at all."

"And how do you know that?" Alec asked.

_Hmm… how too explain this_. "Henry has this, inversion that can…" He took a deep breathe, he must sound crazy. "That can since a demons activity levels." He shrugged trying to convoy to them how helpless he was to explain any further. He thought they were going to laugh at him but no; they looked utterly serious as they both nodded.

"Then Izzy and Clary are on their own until we can figure out what to do." Alec said, looking at the door as though he could see his sister through it.

Jace groaned.

"What?"

"Simon's gonna kill us."

Jace was right.

"What the hell do you mean you couldn't go after her!?"

"Calm down." Alec said.

The vampire glared at him, "Calm-"

"Hey Magnus," Will cut in. "Do you think you could go throw the door?"

Magnus thought about it for a moment. "No, I don't think so. Mortmain is too smart, he would have thought of that."

"So we need one of those Clock people." Jace said firmly. "How could we get our hands on one?"

"Maybe you don't have too."

Jem had almost forgotten Tessa was still in the room. "You are not-"

"No, no" She said, "My necklace." She reached up and pulled her angle out from the front of her dress. "Its made of the same energy the people are." She handed the necklace to Jem. "Do you think it would be enough energy?"

"It's a great thought but no." Jace said. "The clock people are huge and would need a lot more-"

"Not on its own." Magnus snatched the necklace out of Jem hands and examined it.

Jem saw Tessa tense as her mother's necklace was turned this way and that in the warlock's hands.

"What are you thinking?" Simon asked.

"If I could some how duplicate-"

"Clarissa and Isabelle don't have time for experiments, Magnus." Charlotte said sounding almost angry. Jem knew she was taking all this on her shoulders. "How's the trace on Isabelle?"

"It cut out at the warehouse so until we get through there those girls are on their own."

"They will be alright but not for long." Alec said.

Magnus nodded. "I'll get right on it but that means the Portal will have to wait."

Jace stared down at the necklace. "Just get our girls back."


	33. Fashion

Izzy:

Isabelle couldn't smell anything but mold. She tried to breathe through her mouth but ended with the same result. She wondered if she was still being tracked by Magnus or if the connection dropped. Either way the boys should be one their way, she just had to stall till then. _They had an a day_, she thought, _or she would get them out… once she found Clary_. She made a mental cheek of all the weapons she had on her person. Her whip she felt still on her wrist, her hair was down around her head so her throwing knives were gone. She felt her stele pressing against her hip under her dress were she had stashed it. Her dress was thick enough that if someone patted her down they wouldn't feel it. Silver anklet: cheek. Iron chain necklace: cheek. Dagger under skirt: cheek. So only half of her weapons were gone. She could work around that, and have enough to share with Clary. Okay, now she was ready to move. Throwing her legs off the cot she lied in, she ignored the head rush and the chill that ran through her body as her bare feet hit the ground. What creep took her shoes? The hallway was darker then the room she had woken up in. the walls were covered in moss, fussy, green, moss. The stone floor was wet under her feet and freezing. Why hadn't she brought a witchlight? She had her hand on the wall and walked as slow as she could bear.

"It better be Tessa." Someone growled. "If its not-"

"She was with that walking-dead kid." Said a voice that sounded like the man was a heavy smoker. "They were very friendly. Now unless that little red head is really your Tessa and he moved really fast…"

"Forget that, just show me the girl."

Isabelle saw a light up at the end of the hall. She looked around quickly, nothing but strait stone walls like a cave. She crouched on the ground, so low that she was almost laying flat on the wet stone. The light past above her, she didn't move, didn't dare breathe. From the light she saw two people. Men, by the look of them and the sound of their voices.

She couldn't see any details just the outline of their bodies. One was tall, with about the same thickness as her brother. The other was a little shorter but just as thick. _Go away, please._ Isabelle screamed in her head. As the light got brighter she allowed her whip to fall from her wrist and onto the floor with a delicate, tink, coaling just next to her.

"In here." The shorter man pointed.

Izzy felt water splash into her face as they past her secret tunnel and the light disappeared. She got up slowly and ran as silently as she could down the hall. As she did her whip dragged behind her noiselessly.

"FIND HER!"

Izabelle didn't turn as the words bounced through the halls like a run away mundane bouncy ball. She cursed the skirt for slowing her down, having half a mind to strip it away to the under garments but that would take up to much time. She emerged into a hall lit with torches, casting moving shadows all around her. She replayed the list of her weapons in her head: Stele on hip, dagger on thigh, silver on ankle, iron around neck, and whip around wrist. She made her whip twist itself back around her wrist. If she was caught she could hardly pass herself off as Tessa Gray with a whip dangling down at her feet. She breathed in through her nose and out through her mouth as she was taught to do when she got nerves. Jace had taught her. Doors started to pop up on the walls at long intervals, all shut, Clary could be in anyone of these.

"There you are." A voice hissed from behind.

It took every once of Izzy's will not to drop her whip and let fight training take over. _I'm supposed to be Tessa Gray, _she reminded herself. She turned to see a man -silver like Jem- smiling at her with pointed teeth. Vampire.

"Get away from me." Isabelle said in a very good impression of Tessa's voice and moved backwards as it frightened. She dress skirt caught under her feet and she fell backwards onto her butt. The vampire was on her in a flash, teeth bared at her throat. Before she could react the monster was ripped off of her.

"No, no." Said a man. "You may have the other one later."

_Clary_.

"You should no better then running off Tessa." The man was the one who had been in the hall downstairs, the one who said she had better be Tessa. He was tall with salt –no pepper- hair and bright green eyes. Almost too bright but that might have only been the light.

Isabelle decided to play hard to get. "I…" she tried to stutter and prayed it was convincing. "I'm not Tessa."

The man smiled at her and offered her his hand. "Oh don't be like this, it is very unbecoming."

She starred at the hand but took it. "I don't know what you mean sir." She said trying to make her voice sound as much like Tessa's as possible. She had to convince this guy that she was Tessa trying to convince his that she wasn't Tessa. She almost snorted.

The man helped her up kindly enough before sending her staggering back with a slap across her face. In her mind a slap hurt more then a punch any day. Her eyes stung with anger but she couldn't retaliate by shoving her whole dress down his throat, she was Tessa Gray not Isabelle Lightwood.

"You've been a pain in my side but no longer." He threw her to the vampire and for a moment she thought he meant for him to kill her but the vampire just dragged her down the hall.

"You've got the wrong girl!" She pleated. "You've got the wrong girl!" She screamed hoping Clary heard her. The Vampire twisted her around, grapping at hair from something to hold on to. It hurt. _Nice thinking_, Izzy patted herself on the back as the iron chain swished around her chest. "Let me go!" She screamed again. _Come on Clary, hear me_.

"Be quiet, bitch!" The vampire tightened his grip on her hair, causing her to grimace.

_I am going to kill you_, she thought as his nails scratched her scalp.

"You're hurting me!" _you better hear me Fray!_

"Oh really?" He squeezed and pulled so hard that she felt blood, warm and wet start to coat her scalp.

"I'm not fighting you!" She cried out. She didn't know any other way too give Clary her position. God she wished she could think of another way, it was starting to hurt.

He wrenched a door open and threw her unceremoniously into it, slamming the door behind her.

Clary:

Clary woke to the sound of shouting; she reached for the candle that was still lit by her bed. It didn't give must light but it was better then nothing.

"You're hurting me!" cried a girl.

She couldn't help the shiver that ran down her spine. Isabelle? Clary pressed her ear up against the door.

"Oh really?" Said a man's voice she didn't recognize.

"I'm not fighting you!" Isabelle, it had to be.

Clary tried her doorknob but it was locked. She cursed under her breathe and moved towards the window. It wasn't locked, it didn't have to be. It was a startling twenty story drop to the ground below, not even Jace couldn't make that drop. She heard feet shuffling outside her door. She ran back to the bed and jumped in but the footsteps past her. She listened closely as a door near her opened and was slammed shut. Then all was silent. Clary pressed her ear against the wall and waited. One minute, two minutes. No sound came from inside the room. At the fourth minute she heard the sound of someone pacing. She knocked against the wall three times and waited… and got three knocks back.

"Isabelle?" Nothing, "Izzy can you here me?"

"Yes."

Clary whirled around to see Isabelle Lightwood perched on her windowsill. She ran over and helped the girl the rest of the way in. "what the hell are you doing?"

In the candlelight Isabelle –with her pale skin, dark hair and dark eyes- looked like a ghost, an evil one with an evil smile. "I climbed through the window, thanks for leaving it open for me love." She planted a kiss on Clary's cheek before going to sit on the bed.

"Not what I meant."

"I know what you meant." Dark shadows played over her face. "You really didn't think we'd leave you here did you?" She looked hurt.

Clary moved to her side and sat down. "How did you find me and why were you screaming out in the hall?"

"The same way you are and because I had to let you know I was here. Speaking of which…" She jumped up and began reaching under her skirt.

Clary didn't bother asking questions. Isabelle pulled out some wand that shined with an eerie glow. A stele. She went over to the door and drew a rune on the wood. It burned green for a moment before fading into nothing.

"The boys are supposed to be right behind me but I don't think we can wait for them." She reached under her skirt again and pulled out a dagger the size of Clary's forearm.

"The boys are coming?" She asked as Isabelle handed her the knife.

"Well that was the plain anyway. See Magnus couldn't find you with a tracking spell so we put one on me. Jem and I went for a stroll and they snatched me up." She smiled at her brilliant plain. "But I don't think we can wait. One of the guys that grabbed me is going to feed you to his pet vampire."

Clary shivered again. "Okay so any idea on how we get out of here?" She asked.

To her horror Isabelle looked over her shoulder to the window.

"There is no way-" The doorknob began to jingle.

"Wow that was fast." Isabelle mused as she ran to the window.

"What's the rune you put on the door?"

"A locking rune but it won't hold for long." Isabelle started to pull the blankets and sheets off the bed and began ripping them into strips as something slammed into the door. "A little help girl?"

Clary ran over and -with the dagger Isabelle had given her- began to strip the comforter into thick strips. Fluff and feathers danced around them like in one of those cheese girl sleepover movies. "Isabelle." Clary said as the other girl began to tie the pieces together. "Look not doubting you but even if this, by some mirac-" There was a loud crash as whoever was out side slammed against the door again and again. "It won't make it all the way to the ground!"

Boom.

"It doesn't have too." Boom. Isabelle ran to the window and threw their sheet rope out the window. Boom. "Tie off the other end."

Clary grabbed the end and tied it to the bedpost. The make shift rope didn't even m ake it half way. Boom. Isabelle grabbed her hand and pulled her off to the front of the room by the door as with one more slam the door was flung clean off its hinges. Clary held the dagger at the ready, knowing who it was by the silver hair and pale skin, Mortmain's pet vampire who had been outside her room when she woke up. He looked around in one sweeping move of his head and ran to the window. He looked over the sill.

"No way in-"

Isabelle gave Clary a firm nod and Clary threw the dagger. It sailed end over end soundlessly then with a soft thud it sunk deep into his back and into his heart. The vampire turned in surprise and gave one last defining hiss before crumpling to the ground, dead. Slowly Clary moved forward to retrieve the knife.

"Perfect bulls eyes," Isabelle awarded, "vary impressive."

Clary pulled the dagger from his back and cleaned the blade on her skirt. "What's phase two?"

"No, no, no…" Isabelle sang, "I came up with this." She gestured around her. "I found a way in; it's your turn to start contributing."

"I killed the vampire."

Isabelle waved her hand dismissively. "There's no way to hind the fact that the door was slammed in."

Clary –like Isabelle- looked at the door frame. The wood around it was splintered as if some one had taken an ax to it. The door itself was in one piece amazingly, Clary had had half a mind to ask Mortmain what kind of wood it was. "Okay, so what do you want to do?"

Isabelle thought for a moment. "Pull him to the bed."

Clary grabbed one foot and Isabelle grabbed the other and together they pulled him over behind the mattress.

"Oh!" Isabelle said, "I have an idea. Here give me the blade and stand still."

Clary did as she was told and watched as Isabelle cut her skirt to ribbons. It didn't take half as long as she thought it would take and when she was done Clary had a Victorian mini skirt made out of tan ribbons.

"My turn." Isabelle chimed and handed Clary the knife.

It took her longer to cut up Isabelle's skirt then it had hers and Clary blamed it on the fact that Isabelle's had more layers. When she was done Isabelle looked down at herself. "I do believe Clary that we have created a new fashioned trend."

Clary rolled her eyes. "Yeah," she said. "You've got my back?"

"always."


	34. Angels and Demons

William:

Will sat on the love seat, head on Jem's shoulder. He would have probably dosed off if it wasn't for Jace or Alec's content "Is it ready yet?" not that he blamed them. He thought of his little sister in Isabelle's place and understood. Though he would not put himself in Jace's shoes, thinking of Tessa in that situation made him want to strangely Magnus for taking so long. He looked over at her. She was sitting next to Magnus as blue sparks lit up his finger tips. She had been biting her nails for so long that Will was surprised that there was still some nail left. Will felt so bad, he knew she blamed herself for this but he had no idea how to comfort her because no matter what she was the reason Clary was taken.

"Magnus…"

"Alec I am no more closer then I was twenty seconds ago."

Alec sighed and went to stand by Jace who had finally stopped pacing and was staring out the window to the world of London at midnight.

"He's doing his best Jace." Will heard Alec say.

"I know." Jace replied. "His best just isn't fast enough."

Will looked back at Magnus. His hair was sticking to his face with sweat and his eyes were starting to lose some of their glow, as it he was falling ill. Will knew that it was an extraordinary piece of magic Magnus was trying to perform and hoped both Lightwoods understood that too. Magnus slumped suddenly onto the table and before anyone –not even Tessa- could react, Alec was on him.

"Are you okay?"

Magnus nodded. "It's just draining me, I'll be fine though."

Alec took both of Magnus's hands in his and whispered something in his ear.

"Alec…"

"Go on you need it now more then I do."

Will watched as Magnus took Alec's face in his hands and for a moment he thought that he might kiss him but no… Magnus realest Alec and gave him a hard look.

"You alright?" He asked and Will noticed the glow was back in his eyes.

"Fine." Alec replied.

Will watched as Alec slid in beside Magnus, looking as though he hadn't slept in days. Magnus pressed a forefinger to the angle and more sparks lit it up. Jace turned and went to stand behind Alec watching over his shoulder as Magnus tried to increase the demon 'levels' -as they called it- in Tessa's necklace. Will wished that Charlotte and Henry hadn't been called to that Clave meeting. Henry would have loved this. Will couldn't understand way Jace and Alec were so adamant on the Clave not getting involved. You'd think more people in the search would give them more of a chance to be found.

"Here," Magnus said, "try it know."

Alec took a black box over his pocket and ran it over the angle. He looked down at it before handing it over to Jace. "What do you think?"

Jace copied Alec. "I think it looks good. Shall we try?"

Jem who had been unmoving or speaking this whole time stood up as though his pants suddenly caught fire. "I'm ready."

"Me too." Will said.

"Good, what's the fastest way to get there?" Jace asked.

"At this time of night," Jem said looking out the window, "I'd say horses."

"Cyril!" Will called out.

He had to wait no more then a minute before Cyril entered. "Yes?"

"Please prepare four-"

"Five." Interjected Magnus.

"And don't worry about it we'll do it ourselves." Jace said looking at Will. "It will be faster, just lead the way."

Cyril led them all down to the stables and stayed to assist anyone who needed it but Magnus snapped his figures and the horses were all ready to go. Jace had been correct. Will turned to see Alec and Jace talking in deep whispers. He tried to ease drop but couldn't make out a single word.

"Will." Jem laid a hand on his shoulder.

"Yes?"

Jem looked at him the way an art expert studied a painting before he bought it. The thought but him in mind of Clary and her picture of Jem –the one he was to buy from her. He wondered soberly if the painting would be finished.

"Follow the leader."

Before Will could ask him what he meant Jace was calling for everyone to get on one of the damn horses. Jace and Alec set the pace at a full out sprint, as though it was a race.

"What's the fastest was there?" Alec yelled over his shoulder.

Magnus answered with a path Will had never known of. They road in silence Jace never giving up his lead. Now he understood what Jem meant by following the leader. Jace was self appointed leader. The mundanes saw nothing of them as they pulled their steeds out into the road, following Magnus's directions. They entered the waterfront warehouse districted and in one fluid motion Jace dismounted and ran like a bat out of hell not even pausing to tie up his horse.

"I hope he knows to wait for us." Jem mused and was answered with Alec jumping off his horse and running after his brother.

"I guess he could forget us." Will whispered.

Will followed Magnus and Jem up a pair of rickety stairs that felt like they could collapse at every step. It was so dark in the warehouse and silent, the only sound was the waves just beyond the wall. Where were Alec and Jace?

"This is it." Jem said. He stopped in front of a rusted and broken doorframe.

"Are you sure?" Will asked peeking his head through the door, "Hello?" He called.

No one answered.

"This is it." Magnus conformed, "but where is Alec and Jace?"

Will looked up and down the hall then moved into the room beyond the magic door. The room was like a blown up version on the hallway. All rusted metal and wood. No Shadowhunters.

"Alec!" Magnus called out, his voice echoed through the warehouse. "Alec?" He called out again.

"Do you think they left with out us?" Jem asked.

"Bloody gits." Will muttered under his breathe.

Magnus walked over to the door and put a hand on the frame, a look of worry painted his face. "Alec Lightwood!" As though conjured up by his name Alec walked out through the doorframe and strait into Magnus. "Where the hell…" Magnus grabbed the front of Alec's shirt. "You left-"

"Jace wouldn't wait, you were all taking forever. He's scouting a way in while I get you guys."

"So the necklace worked then?" Jem asked.

Alec pulled out Tessa's angle from underneath his shirt.

"Good." Magnus said letting go of Alec. "Let's go then."

"Each of you has to put a hand on me." Alec explained with an outstretched arm.

Will hesitantly took it.


	35. Mae'r Cysgodol

Izzy:

"Nice idea with the skirts." Clary praised as they ran up the hallway.

"And people think mini skirts are just to be sexy."

They moved silently, knife and whip at the ready. All the halls looked the same; there was no way to know if they had gone in a circle or if they were even heading in the right direction -Whatever the hell direction that was. Clary was in the lead –having seen more of the castle then Isabelle.

"Get to the wall." Clary called out and both girls pressed themselves against the wall as footsteps ascended down the hall to their left.

"Just lay whatever the hell it is out and have done with it." Isabelle said in Clary's ear.

"What if it's someone innocent?"

Isabelle rolled her eyes. "Nothing in this place is innocent."

Clary gave her a look, "we are… or I am."

Isabelle glared at her but she didn't see. She was to busy listening and nodding with each footstep. She stood on the corner; knife outstretched just at her eye level –though on a normal person it would sink right into their heart give or takes a few inches.

"One..." She breathed. "Two…" She peeked around the corner but quickly pulled her head back in. She breathed in and out. "Three." She swung and the knife was caught in a slender hand just above its target.

"Jace..." Isabelle started to say but it wasn't. It was another silver downworlder, a werewolf –his nails long, pointed, digging into Clary's wrist, his pointed teeth lay over his lips. Isabelle pulled out her whip and swung –it was times like these when Isabelle loved the fact that Clary was so short- right over Clary's head, striking the wolf right across the face. He opened his mouth then dropped on his knees, a seraph blade sticking out of his chest. An arm went around Isabelle's shoulder making her jump.

"Nice of you ladies to invite me to your party."

Both girls spun and wrapped their arms around Jace and he in turn wrapped an arm around each of them.

"About time you showed up." Isabelle commented as Jace let her go and turned his full attention to Clary –catching her face and kissing it. "Okay, okay you can get to that later." She complained grabbing her brother's arm and pulling him and Clary apart.

"I just saved your ass and you-"

"Ha! Saved, you saved nothing. Where's the rest of the group?" she asked when no Alec came rushing up behind him.

"I wasn't waiting." Jace said, "I saw an opportunity to get in and I took it."

"Great, you know away out then?" Clary asked.

"This way my ladies." Jace held out his arms just as the castle began to shake like an earthquake, then as quickly as it had come it stopped.

"Hey Jace, is this a situation?" Clary asked.

"Um, no not-" A high pitched scream echoed through the hall –a dark and deadly sound. Jace glared at Clary. "Thanks."

Before she could defend herself the scream came again –this time louder.

"What is that?" Isabelle couldn't tell if she asked or if Clary had, either way Jace had the same answer. "I have no idea but I suggest we go this way."

They turned down the hall away from the sound –Jace pausing only to retrieve his blade from the downworlder's chest.

"What's through there?" Jace asked pointing to a pair of large wooden doors.

"I don't know." Both girls answered at once.

Jace ran over and heaved the doors open –with no trouble.

"Oh what would we poor damsels do without you angle boy?" Isabelle hissed as she moved past him into the… "A throne room."

It was the grandest mundane room she had ever seen. It even cut Jace's laughing to an abrupt halt. The hall was as tall as it was wide, stone pillars rose on the sides until stopping at an opening where sat three beautiful wooden thrones. Clary walked up to the one in the middle and ran her hand over the carvings that decorated it.

"How old do you think it is?" She asked voice full of wonder.

"They're in perfect condition." Jace said moving to stand by her.

"I would love to know what this place looks like from outside." Isabelle snapped.

Jace and Clary looked at her. "Right, escape." Jace muttered.

"There is no escape." Said a raspy voice –like that belonged to a heavy smoker. In the once empty throne sat, white people -Literally white. Skin, cloths, hair, eyes with no color or pupil. On the throne Jace and Clary had just been admiring sat a man, tall and regale looking. He was young, no older then the three teens before him, his cloths were the cloths of a king, and so was the crown that sat on his curls. On his left was a women who's features resembled the mans. Her dress spilled out around her feet like water that had just fell from a glass onto the floor. She had the same curls but longer, flowing all the way down to her waist. Atop her head sat a tiara carved with elegant leaves. On his right sat a young girl no older then five. She was a smaller version of her mothers –or who Isabelle guest was her mother- in hair, features and cloths.

"Ghosts." Jace whispered to Clary and Isabelle wondered if she had ever seen one before.

"Who are you?" Jace demanded.

The king's face twisted and he yelled in the raspy voice not befitting for a man his age. "You dare stand in my court and demand anything from me," He boomed with a voice that shook the room. "YOUR KING!"

Jace grabbed both girls' hands and pulled them down into a kneeling position. "Forgive us your grace, we had no idea this castle was in your care."

"You wouldn't." The king said sadly. "What are your names?"

"Jace Lightwood sir, my sister Isabelle and our friend Clary Fray."

The king regarded Isabelle and Clary with –what she could only guess were friendly eyes.

"May we ask… your highness-" Clary quickly added, "who you are?"

The king looked at her. "I am King Stephen." The girls on his side said nothing.

"Forgive us King Stephen but we must be leaving, do you-"

"As I said before, there is no way out." King Stephen said.

"There has to be." Isabelle said, "There has to be, if Mor-"

As though Isabelle's outburst had woken her the queen spoke. "Mortmain is gone; he left when you were delivered to your room… before you climbed through Miss Fray's window and tried to escape the castle."

Isabelle was startled with how much the queen knew but refused to show it.

"There must be someway." Jace said calmly.

"Father?" The little girl pulled on the King's sleeve. "I can show them the door."

Isabelle felt like slapping the King, a door!?

The King looked upon his daughter before nodding. The young girl got up from her throne and floated to them, her feet never touching the ground. She let out a small giggle. "You may rise."

Once they did the little girl took Isabelle and Clary's hand sending cold chills through them. "Come with me please." She spoke as one who was just learning how too -Her _s_ slurring ever so slightly. She pulled them down the hall, despite her transparent look her grip on both girls was firm.

"Where are you taking us?" Jace asked walking just a little a behind them.

The ghost girl giggled, it was a sweet sound like china being clinked together. "To the door silly."

Jace held out his arm and with a squeak of delight she took it. "Of course, my dear…?"

"Delun." She giggled.

"Del-een." He repeated, "beautiful name."

It always shocked Isabelle how Jace was with children. It seemed odd and out of character, or it did when she first found out but know watching him be sweet to this little dead princess it seemed just as normal as him picking a fight with a pack of werewolves because he wanted something to hit.

"And see, that's how I died."

_Wow, how did I miss that whole story? _

"I'm so sorry Delun." Jace squeezed Delun's hand and she looked up and smiled at him.

"I don't remember it anymore. I mean I remember the how but…" She bit her bottom lip. "Anyway!" She jumped so high that she was as tall as Jace before she flouted back to the ground –or back to her flouting position just inches off the floor. "I remember women complaining that they couldn't be young forever, I do!"

Isabelle's heart seemed to deflate. "Can you leave the castle?"

Delun smiled at her warmly, and Isabelle realized that she was too young to completely understand her own death. "Only on the winter solstice are we aloud to venture out. Oh and it's beautiful! Lights-"

Isabelle only half listened, she was having trouble breathing. She put her hand on her stomach to try and steady her breathing but it didn't work and she was close to tears. She wanted this little ghost to go away, she never wanted to see her again.

"How old are you Delun?" Clary asked.

"Nine."

Isabelle stopped died in her tracks, _make her go away_ she begged.

"Isabelle, are you alright?" Delun asked.

"Oh yes, this corset is just making it hard to breathe." She tried to sound even.

Clary nodded and looked away but Jace was looking at her with his stupid all seeing eyes. Stupid Jace, stupid Clary asking stupid questions! Stupid Alec with his stupid warlock, stupid cousins not knowing it wasn't Sebastian, Stupid Max not staying in his room where he was supposed too… stupid Isabelle, not being able to protect her baby brother. Jace handed Delun off too Clary and came to stand by Isabelle.

"You can't do this right know Izzy. We need you, we need you to be strong right know, okay? You can't do this."

"You don't understand…"

"Yes I do."

"No you don't."

He grabbed her arms and gave her a hard shake. "Yes I do." He took her face in his hands and kissed her forehead. "He was my little brother to Izzy."

She nodded. Jace held out his arm and she took it.

"We're here!" Delun cheered. Before them stood a drawbridge, a full slab of wood -that would crush the Institute flat if it was dropped on it- and twisting metal like vines running up a fence.

"Wow," Clary breathed, "That's a really big door."

"It's the only way in or out." Delun said. "How did you get in, Jace?"

Jace just pointed to the door. "It closed behind me."

Isabelle growled, "There has to be a way out! Secret passage ways or something!"

"Where use too be…" Said Delun, "but thousands of year of eroding, termites and rust has closed them all up."

"But if this door was open when you got here," Clary was looking at Jace, "Then there has to be away to open it."

"There is." Said the little girl, "but not from mortal hands."

Jace's hands want up to his collar bone. "I gave it to Alec."

"Gave what too-"

The dark scream sounded through the hall. Delun jumped and hid behind Jace, her gray hands twisting into his shirt. "No… no…"

"What is it?" Jace asked, removing his seraph blade from his belt. Isabelle –following his lead- let her whip fall to the floor and Clary held her dagger at the ready.

"Father calls it Mae'r Cysgodol, he's the devil himself." She began to cry.

"Can My-re Ces-go-dol," Isabelle tried at the pronunciation, "hurt you?"

Delun nodded and whipped a tear away. "He is the reason we are here, he's the keeper of my family's cures."

"Does he have any weaknesses?" Isabelle asked.

"He's weakest at the winter solstice." The scream sounded, this time closer.

"Steady." Jace ordered –getting into fighting stance. "Steady." They could see it now, it looked like a massive bird all black, and its wings seemed to be made out of smoke. "Follow my lead. Delun when the fight starts you get back too your father you hear?"

"Ye-yes Jace."

"It was nice to meet you Delun." Clary said causing the girl to smile. The scream sounded so loudly that they all covered their ears.

"Steady!" Jace yelled over the scream that was still ringing. The creature banked right towards Jace. He raised his hand to throw a dagger but Isabelle's whip was faster. It came down across the monsters face but he didn't even seem to notice he was going straight to Jace. It stretched out its smoke wings and slammed into all of them, sending them flying in all different directions. The monster turned to Isabelle and laughed. "I didn't even feel it." Its voice sounded like the crackling of a fire. There were no eyes or mouth that Isabelle could see but the voice definitely cane from Mae'r Cysgodol. Isabelle saw out of the corner of her eye Jace and Clary -with Delun behind their backs- trying to move around the Mae'r Cysgodol.

"Oh I'll do better next time." Isabelle struck out with the whip. With a crack it hit the monster from his –or what could only be guessed was his torso to his face. Mae'r Cysgodol cried out and swept a wing at her. Isabelle dived to the side but the smoke grazed her leg. It burned her legs like fire. Isabelle screamed and Mae'r Cysgodol laughed then cried out and Isabelle saw a seraph blade protruding from the front of the creature's chest. He whirled around to whoever threw it. Isabelle pulled herself up into a sitting position, her legs burned with little red dots. She heard Jace yell something then her name and Clary was at her side. "Can you stand?"

Isabelle nodded and lifted herself painfully to her feet. "I'm fine."

"Good." Clary said, "Because I've got an idea, can you cover me?"

"Just do what you need to do!" Isabelle yelled as the creature roared at Jace who was invisible to both girls but his laughs were audible. "Just hurry up." She added as Clary hurried to the door. She started to draw a rune on the door Isabelle didn't recognize.

"Izzy!"

Isabelle turned just in time to see Mae'r Cysgodol coming too her. She could see Jace on the floor starring at her eyes wide. Blood was dripping from some part of him and onto the floor. He jumped up and started towards them just as Isabelle whipped out at the monster again. The bird-man banked up and flew into the rafters screeching.

"I can't kill the damn thing." Jace huffed then he looked at Clary, "what are you doing?"

"Trying to get the door-" Mae'r Cysgodol's scream cut Clary off and they all looked up. It was like a storm cloud hand found it way into the castle. Mae'r Cysgodol circled faster and faster up above them causing more dark clouds to form.

"How much longer Clary?" both Jace and Isabelle asked at the same time.

"Done!"

Just then a screech filled the air with eardrum shattering pitch. They threw their hands over their ears and screamed, or at lest Isabelle through she was screaming. Then the dark smoke came down at them with startling speed and all Isabelle could think was _dear god we're going to burn._ There was a loud BOOM and wind from behind whipped Isabelle hair into her face. From cracks in the black curtain Isabelle saw sunlight pool the hall. Mae'r Cysgodol gaved a last defiant scream before the smoke disappeared.

"Clary you did it!" Isabelle threw her arms around the other girl.

"Actually, it was me." Said a familiar voice.

All three of them turned to see a Magnus, Will, Jem, and Alec staring at them with a whole array of emotions. Magnus's hands were glowing blue as her waved at them.


	36. The Castle in Wales

Magnus:

Alec ran over to his sister and wrapped her in a hug. "You alright?" He said giving her the once over.

"Of course!" She said with a roll of her eyes.

"You look not to have a scratch on you." He said looking from her too Clary.

"Don't I get a hug?" Jace whined.

Magnus couldn't see Alec's glare but he knew it was there.

"What did I do?" Jace sounded almost mad. Alec poked him in the chest, causing him to winch. "What happened to 'I've learned my lesson, Alec?"

"I never said that!" Jace countered.

"I remember him saying it wouldn't happen again Alec." Will chimed in.

Magnus glared at him, he didn't need to see Alec executed for killing his parabatai.

"But no!" Alec said ignoring Will. "You went into a situation _again_ without me. What am I going to do with you?"

Jace gave him a sheepish look. "Give me a hug?"

Alec smacked Jace outstretched arm out of the way.

"As heartwarming as this family reunion is, I for one would like to go kick Mortmain's-"

"He's gone." Clary explained to them what had happened. They all listened quietly –intently. None of the story surprised Magnus.

"Yeah, that was him." Jem confirmed when she told them what the man claming to be Mortmain looked like. "How long ago did he leave?"

Isabelle and Clary exchanged looked. "I'd say about an hour." Isabelle said.  
"And the, ah, ghost queen told you this?" Will snickered.

Jace glared at him. "Says the man who has a clockwork machine-"

"Alright that's enough!" Magnus interjected. "What do you shadowhunters want to do know?"

"I-" Will said, "-want to take a look around, see if he left anything behind. And we'll have to alert the Clave so someone can watch this place, just incase Mortmain comes back."

He looked at Magnus expectantly.

"Fine." He rolled his eyes and snapped his fingers for affect, said, "Done."

"Shouldn't we just wait for the Clave so they can search the premises?" Jem asked as Will marched into the castle. "It will take to long."

"This place is a maze." Isabelle called out, "Better the Clave get lost then us. As much as I've never cared, I don't want to get in any trouble that could hold us from going home."

Magnus watched as Alec nodded in agreement. "She's right."

"What happened to your skirts?" Jem said appalled. All boys looked down at the girls legs. Isabelle looked pleased while Clary looked embarrassed.

"Like it!" Magnus said haply.

"Me too." Jace said staring at Clary's bare legs he wanted to jump her right then and there. Clary gave her a look.

"Thank you!"

"Enough with their stupid skirts!" Alec snapped. "She's right we shouldn't do anything that could get us in trouble."

"Look I'm not waiting for you to make a decision so…" Will held out his hand to Jace, "It was nice meeting you all." He said with a smile.

Jace turned to his group, the look on his face a clear 'can I hit him?'

"Jace," Clary whispered. "I don't want to get stuck here because of your pride."

"The portal does not have a schedule it goes when you are ready." Magnus said eyes directly on Alec. He turned his blue eyes way from Magnus and looked at Jace. "I'm game, it is the lest we could do."

"I'm in!" chimed Isabelle. They all looked at Clary.

Clary rolled her eyes and pushed passed Jace and Will, marching herself into the castle. "Delun?" She called out.

"Who's-" Jem began but before he could finish a ghost of a young girl appeared.

"Hi." She said cheerfully then walked over to Jace and took his hand. "I'm glad you are alright." She said to him, "You two." She added to Clary and Isabelle.

"We're glad you are too." Said Clary, the little girl smiled. "Delun may we ask you something?"

"Of course!"

"Where does Mortmain stay when he's here?"

The little ghost thought for a moment then looked at the rest of them, looking startled as though she hadn't noticed them. "Who are they?" She asked shrinking behind Jace like he was her protector.

"There are friends, Delun." Jace told her. "They're alright."

Delun smiled at Magnus. She was the sweetest ghost he had ever met. "Well come with me, Jace, Isabelle, Clary and friends." She giggled and led the way further into the castle. Delun never let Jace's hand go as they walked and none of them spoke –all on high alert. Alec took up the rear and Magnus had to turn his head around to see him. A bow was slung across his chest and a quiver of arrows hung over his shoulder. He looked like a medieval bowmen, tall and proud. Head up, eyes scanning his surroundings like a hawk looking for a mouse in a pasture. Magnus wondered if he were to drop a pin, how quickly Alec would have an arrow notched. There wasn't much of the world that Magnus had never seen, and this was part of that few. He wasn't even sure where he was but he guest they were still in the UK. The castle must have been very old; it was practically falling apart around them.

"This is where Mr. Mortmain spends most of his time when he is here." Delun said and by her accent Magnus knew where they were. Wales. Wow, He hadn't been there in a very long time. Jace pushed the door open and Alec notched an arrow. It opened with a very loud screech.

"Should have let me do it." Magnus said, "It wouldn't have squeaked."

"I'll remember that next time." Jace snapped then added to Delun. "Thank you sweetheart."

Delun smiled and skipped down the hall away from them, her curls bouncing behind her.

Will rose his witchlight into the air and it lit the whole room in dull, eerie light.

"Dude!" Isabelle said moving into it, "This is so much better then the room they put me into."

"Dude?" Will whispered to Jem.

"Take it up with the manager." Alec said, lighting up his own witchlight.

"Why don't you all just open up the shades?" Clary asked pointing to the windows that were covered with a thick black curtain. Will glared at her, moving to the curtain and throwing it aside. It wasn't a window but a thick door with death carved into the wood. "What is this?" Will asked the room at large.

"A door." Jace muttered, his face in a bunch of papers on the desk.

Though his back was face Magnus the warlock new the William was rolling his eyes. "You are the-" The door flew open on its own accord. Behind it was a brick building on a cobblestone street.

"That's London." Magnus recognized the building as a downworlder's pub. Not a place where he frequented but he knew it none the less.

"Why would it go there?" Jem said moving towards the door. His face was hit by the sun that was shining through the door just as Jace yelled. "Jem NO!"

He was sucked strait through the door and disappeared on the other side. It felt like a tornado had touched down in the middle of the room; everything was being sucked out the door.

"Jem!" Will yelled grabbing hold of the sofa.

Magnus tried to grab hold of the door but the wind had an unnaturally strong hold on him. A hand flew out and grabbed hold of him as the wind pulled his to the door. Alec was yelling something to him, his hand moving up Magnus's hand to his wrist looking for a better grip. Alec's words were lost in the wind. With a scream like that of a human child the wind –like a live hand- wrapped around Alec's waist and pulled. Alec let go and pulled them all to the door. Magnus gave one last look at the room to see that everyone else was already gone.


	37. One way

Jace:

He landed on something soft and fleshy… Clary.

"Get off me please." Her voice was a breath.

He rolled to the side and laid an arm across her back. "Sorry Clary." He said helping her to her feet and looking around. Will was already on his feet and helping up Jem who had a huge gash on his forehead. Isabelle had blood dripping on her knees and now that he looked so did Clary. Their little shredded mini skirts might be incredibly hot but they did nothing for protection, Clary's legs were shredded much worse then Isabelle's… because Isabelle did have someone landing on her.

"Alec." He turned to see Alec and Magnus in a tangled mess on the ground.

"What?" He whizzed.

Jace walked over and helped to the two love birds untangle. "Got your Stele on you?"

Alec brushed off his pants and looked at him then to his sister, then Clary. "Oh jezz." He said and took out his Stele.

"I've got mine." Izzy –In front everyone- proceed to reach up and under her dress. Jace looked to see if Will and Jem where watching but Will was drawing a healing rune on his parabatai. Isabelle pulled out her Stele and handed it to Jace.

"Thanks." He muttered and turned to Clary. He wrapped an arm around her and helped her sit down on the steps outside the bar. She was limping badly. He touched the tip of the Stele to her thigh –the only part of her leg that wasn't all scrapped up. She winched and her leg muscles tensed under the Stele. "Almost done." He assured her.

"Came some one explain to me how we're back in London." Izzy said.

"The same way we got too the Castle, it was a one way Portal." Magnus said pulling bits of what looked like stone out of his hair.

"Why here?" Isabelle asked, her rune done. "I mean why would he have a door that leads too…" She broke off and motioned to the bar.

"I think it's like a wild goose chase." Will said.

"Done." Jace told Clary who smiled at him thankfully.

"Like-" Will continued. "-someone goes into the castle and find a door that leads somewhere, even if it leads somewhere stupid he knows the Clave wants him enough to look at every lead so it drops them off someplace…" He trailed off.

Jace looked at his great, great, great, great, great, great grandfather and wondered if Clary really did see a similarity between them or if she was just messing with him. Jace didn't see it. He tried too, but didn't.

"So what know?" Alec asked.

"We go back to the institute." Will said. "We tell the Clave what happened and you all go home."

Jace turned to Alec. "We're done." He said calmly, "We've got the girls, let's go home."

The walk back to the institute was tiring. It took a while for Clary to stop limping –for the healing rune to take affect. She walked with an arm slung over Jace's shoulder, and his arm around her waist.

"Is the Iratze working?"

She looked up at him, "Slowly but yeah." Her face had a dark look to it.

"Does it hurt?" He asked lagging back from the group.

"A little, I'm just mad that I wasn't able to finish Jem's painting for Will."

Jace couldn't help but laugh. "Everything that just happened and that's-"

"He was my first paying customer." She whined, "And I didn't get to finish it for him."

"Well, under the circumstances I think your buyer will understand." He said in between fits of laughter but she did not look amused. "Clary." He said softly and wrapped his other arm around her, making her stop. "What is it?"

"They have a real problem here Jace, I just wish there was more we could do. I mean… that guys a real piece of work."

"Hey… They can handle it Clary." Jace told her. "They don't need our help, besides it we stay any longer… interfere in any way we could really mess up time."

"I know," She snapped, "I just…" She let the sentence drop.

Jace opened his mouth to say something too her but Alec called out to them.

"What?" Jace called back.

Alec looked at him with concern, not that that was anything different, Alec always looked at Jace like that. "You guys coming?"

Jace took Clary's hand and lead her over to where Alec was waiting. "You okay Clary?" He asked.

"Yeah my legs just hurt."

The institute loomed over them, the tip of the cathedral puncturing the sky. Simon was standing on the steps, arms around Izzy. Charlotte was next to him talking to Jem and Will, she looked worried.

"Clary!" Simon rushed over to Clary and swept her up into a hug. Jace left them too it.

"Jace, Alec." Charlotte called.

Jace followed Alec up the steps. Charlotte had her hair down around her shoulders and she was wrapped in night robe as though she had gotten out of bed.

"Jem told me you were all leaving."

"Yes, now actually, Magnus has the Portal ready and we'll be going through once we get our stuff."

Charlotte nodded. Before she could say anything else the door to the institute flew opened and Tessa came out. Her eyes passed over all over them before landing on Clary. "I am so sorry." She said sadly.

Clary just smiled and gave Tessa a hug. "Don't worry about it."

Tessa nodded then froze. "What happened to your skirt?" She said appalled.

"We had a run in with a cheese grater." Izzy joked. Poor Tessa looked horrified.

"Don't worry about it Tessa." Jace said, "She was dropped as a child."

Isabelle gave him a look but before she could retaliate Magnus's voice flowed through the air. "Are we going to get this show on the road Lightwoods?"

Jace looked at him. He didn't look happy at all.

"We're coming." Alec said then turned to Jace. "Let's get our stuff so we can go."


	38. Honor and Fear

Clary:

Sophie didn't talk as she helped Clary out of her shredded dress. Though she did give her a few startled looks. Clary liked Sophie, she was all things sweet. _How is she related to Isabelle?_ Clary wondered.

"Do you need help getting-" She started, poking at the modern day clothes on the mattress.

"No," Clary said, "I can do it myself." She turned to the girl, "Thank you Sophie."

The girl smiled. "It was nice meeting you Miss Fairchild." She began to walk away, "Oh, Jem fell ill, but he and Miss Gray asked me too wish you a safe journey."

"Sophie, is Jem sick often?"

Sophie froze… then nodded and left the room.

Her worn out jeans felt so good on her raw legs and the shirt slipped easily over her head. The second she got home she was taking a nice warm shower. Clary finished buckling her belt when someone said her name.

"Clary?"

She turned to see Will standing at the door barefoot and in fresh, clean clothes. He still unnerved her, this boy who looked like Alec and acted like Jace. "Oh." She threw the duffle bag Sophie hand given her for her Victorian clothes over her shoulder. She was bringing two dresses back with her, she wasn't sure what she would do with them but they were beautiful. She had faith that she would think of something. "Oh! Just…" She held up her hand and pulled the canvas out from behind the bed it was covered in a white sheet. "I'm sorry I couldn't finish it."

Will took her painting and looked at it. The look on his face was better then any money. "It's-"

"Clary?" They both looked towards the door to see Jace staring at her and Will with suspicion. _Aw_, she thought, _he's jealous how cute_. "You ready to go?"

She nodded. "It was nice to meet you William." She said as she passed.

"What was that?" Jace asked, leading her down the hall.

Clary looked at him with a smile. "Just giving your great, great, great, great grandpa a good-bye kiss."

"Haha," He joked, "very cute."

"Clary!" They both turned to see Will jogging down the hall. "You forgot something."

Jace gave her a look. "Oh did you?"

"Shut up." She hissed.

Will reached them and held out a hand. "Your payment for the paining." He handed her an envelope, "ten pounds as we agreed."

She looked down at the envelope, it was heaver then she thought it would have been. Before she could remind him that she had not finished it he held out his hand to Jace. "I hope we cross paths again, Jace Lightwood."

Jace took it. "Same." Then to Clary's surprise Will offered her his hand. She took it and shook it as firmly as she could. Then he flipped her hand over and kissed it, winked at Jace and walked away.

"He's definitely your relative." She mussed.

Jace winked at her in imitation of his ancestor William Herondale and pulled her down the hall. Izzy, and Simon were waiting by the door in their modern day clothes. Seeing Simon in his _'Made in Brooklyn'_ tee-shirt made her smile. Magnus stood a little ways away from them looking a little less sparkly then usual.

"Let's hit it!" Simon said and jumped down from his perched on the wall. He was become more like a vampire everyday. In the back of her mind Clary wondered if he was hunger… or thirsty.

"Where's Alec?" Jace asked.

Before anyone could answer Alec came running out of the doors smelling of potatos and sour milk. "I'm here, sorry."

"Where were you?" Isabelle asked her brother, "The kitchen?"

Alec just shrugged and led the way down the cobblestones.

Alec:

The roads that led from the institute to Magnus's house were long ones and Magnus didn't as much as look at Alec the entire way, Simon walked with Isabelle, Jace walked with Clary and Alec walked alone. His palms were sweating, he was so afraid of what happened next. The potion had worked at the Institute with Jem and Tessa, why wouldn't it work on Magnus. The rest of the institute would have the potion tomorrow with their morning tea –he had taught the spell to Bridget, telling her it was song about a couple that died at each others hands- he told her to sing it tomorrow morning during breakfast, but they weren't what worried Alec. What if he got home and he –just like know- would have to walk alone because something happened to Magnus? Alec shivered as if cold and caught Magnus watching him. He turned away quickly when he caught the shadowhunters eye. Magnus didn't bother with the doorknob when they reached his home. The door swung open at the flick of a finger.

"Now," Magnus said, "Before we get started does anyone have to use the bathroom?" They all just stared at him.

"Actually," Alec said, "I left something in your room. May I?"

Magnus gave him an indifferent look. "Go, we will get started."

Alec heard chanting as he walked back into Magnus's room and looked into his full length mirror. He was back in his comfortable over sized sweatshirt and jeans that had been Jace's. His hair was a mess as always and he looked scared. He closed his eyes and took two long deep breathes before taking out the little vile of Esquerser which Alec –thanks to Magnus- knew was Postuguese for forget and –very careful not to get any into his mouth- put a few drops on his bottom lip like his sister put on lip balm. "I'm sorry Magnus." He whispered and went back into the room.

"About time." Jace snapped. "He's almost-" a bright light exploded into the room. It was like dropping milk into water, think and smoky. It filled the room with a bitter and toxic smell that they all recognized… New York. The milky liquid cleared and they could see it, the New York institute being past by a New York cab.

"How…" Clary muttered.

"I used some special ingredients to make sure you would go where you needed too." Magnus told her. "Who wants to go first?"

Jace gave Alec a hard look then took Clary's hand. "Thank you Magnus. See you in a few hundred years." He and Clary stepped through and disappeared.

"My turn." Izzy said and jumped through after Jace and Clary.

Simon looked unsure.

"You're next vampire." Magnus said.

Simon looked at Alec, "You'll be right behind me right?"

"Yes."

Simon nodded and timidly stepped through the Portals.

Magnus finally looked at him, "Last chance to stay with me, Alexander."

The portal swam behind him, showing 20th century New York City. He knew what he was going to do, he had not lied to Simon but it still hurt to look at Magnus, at the hope and hurt that swam like ying and yang around his face. He didn't bother trying to explain anything to Magnus, he wouldn't be in pain any longer. Doubt drowned Alec's mind the longer he looked at him. What if something changed and Magnus doesn't end up going to New York? What if something happens with Clary and her mother never comes to New York or her mother decides not to hide her Sight? 100 others ﬂew through his head at rapid speed, then thoughts of him staying here with Magnus ﬂowed through his head… He could be a Shadowhunter at the London institute, leave here with Magnus and not have to worry about time... He reached for Magnus and crushed their lips together. He kissed him in a way that he knew would cause Magnus to grab Alec's bottom lip in between him own. Magnus licked the potion off of Alec's lips. Magnus felt it or tasted it Alec didn't know, but he backed away from Alec, eyes wide and Alec whispered the incantation.

"Alec what is this?!" He snarled but Alec didn't stop.

Magnus's eyes rolled back into his head and he would have fallen if Alec hadn'ta caught him and laid him on the couch as he ﬁnished the spell. He turned around quickly to make sure the portal was still there, it was. He turned back to look at this Magnus one last time.

"I love you." He whispered to his beautiful boyfriend and kissed him on the forehead.

Without thinking, without looking back at Magnus unconscious on the couch, he jumped through the portal and back to his home. His last thought in Victorian London was, _god I hope this works!_


	39. Demented Cat

This is not the last chapter! There is one more.

* * *

alec:

"We're actually back." Clary breathed.

They stood on the steps of their home, in their time. Everything looked the same… the church, the street, the skyline of Manhattan. "Everything looks… right." Simon said. "Hey! Eric's van is still parked here!"

Sure enough the rotten banana van was still sitting on the corner of the block looking like vandals had gotten a hold of it but it always looked that way.

"That means nothing," Jace said, "Looks means nothing."

Simon turned to him, his chin dropping to the concrete. "Did you Jace Herondale just say-"

"Quit it." Alec snapped, ever nerve in his body was a live wire threatening to set fire to his insides. Without another word Alec marched up the front steps. He slipped his hand into his jeans pocket and pulled out his key. The door opened with a loud creek. They were home. The elevator ride was quiet, everyone tense from what they might find on the other side. What they did find was Maryse Lightwood, arms folded across her chest. Her hair was pulled back in a tight bun and she was dressed in a black pantsuit. Church paced back and forth under her feet.

"Why thank you children for finely coming home."

"Mom!" Alec and Isabelle yelled and ran to embrace her.

Maryse didn't look too thrilled but hugged them back none the less. "So," She said as they let her go. "Which one of you would like to explain to me where you all were these past few days?"

Jace picked up the ball and ran with it. Oddly enough he told her the truth. "The Portal dropped us off in London; it took us a few days to find a warlock and make a Portal home."

"Oh… and you could have called?"

Jace turned out his pockets. "None of us have any money and the Portal screwed up our phones, they were fried so we tossed them."

"You have no money? So how did you pay for the Portal?"

Jace opened his mouth but Maryse was a smart woman and turned to Alec. "I want you to answer."

Alec froze then told himself, _you don't need to lie._ "We did him a small favor."

"How small?"

Alec froze.

"Just helped him with a demon problem." Isabelle jumped in for him.

Maryse looked from Alec to Izzy to Jace to Clary to Simon and back again. "Fine." She yielded, "Clary your mother and Lucien have been calling every two hours to see if you've shown up yet I'd suggest you call them."

Without a look at the others Clary slipped passed Maryse and went into the kitchen to call her parents.

"Um…" Simon muttered, "I'm going to go see if she needs a ride home."

After Simon slipped into the kitchen Maryse gave her kids -adopted and blood- one more once over before turning on her heals and walking away.

"Mom!" Alec called out. "Do you know where Magnus is?"

She stared at him as if he had slipped into another language. "Why pray tell would I have any idea where Magnus Bane would be?" Before Alec could even draw in a breathe his mother was staking way from him. Alec froze, his siblings passing him on there way to the kitchen. He tried to tell himself that that meant nothing, his mother wouldn't know where Magnus was.

Clary had the phone to her ear and was whispering franticly into it. She looked worried. Simon was sitting on the counter, a bottle of blood in his hands and was hissing at Jace and Church that sat curled in his arms.

"It doesn't freak you out at all that that…" He pointed at the Persian cat. "Demented cat is still alive."

Church hissed at him, teeth bared and ears back.

"No," Jace said scratching the cat behind his ears, "it doesn't surprise me at all."

"Really?" Isabelle added. "It doesn't even make you curious? I mean maybe we should call Brother Jeremiah to look him over, he might hold the secret to immortality."

At the sound of the Silent Brothers name the Church stopped hissing and his eyes went wide… well as wide as they could. Obviously he didn't like that idea.

Jace smiled at her and looked down at Church.

"Shit." Clary hissed and hung up the phone.

"Is something wrong?" Jace asked her.

"I don't know, well not with them no, everything's normal." She drummed her 18th century cash on her leg.

"Worrying about where to cash a hundred year old money?"

"No I asked Luke about it and he said that my mom knows a guy… Alec, I heard you ask your mom about Magnus and so I asked Luke, apparently he is on a job out of the country and won't be back till tomorrow."

"Why don't you call him?" Jace suggested, dropping Church on the floor and strolling to fridge, popping open a soda can and sitting at the counter with it and a take out container.

Alec walked over to the phone as though in a daze. He punched in the number without thinking about it, dreading Magnus picking it up. He didn't.

"_You have reached Magnus_-" Alec hung up the phone. "Machine."

"Why didn't you leave a message?" Isabelle scolded.

"What's he gonna say?" Simon wondered. "'Ah hey I just got back through traveling to the 18th century and I'm wondering if your still my boyfriend, please call me back.'"

"Good point." Izzy muttered.

"I think I'll just wait until he gets home." Alec said.

"Al-" Clary started but Alec cut her off.

"I'm just going to go lay down." He said and left the room as quickly as he could without running.

"Nice going Simon." He heard Clary say.


	40. I Remember

Simon:

After Alec left the room Maryse informed everyone that Isabelle, Jace, and Alec were grounded until she deemed it other wise and politely invited Simon and Clary to leave the Institute. The van smelled awful, sitting outside in the hot sun for four days gave all the dead things in there a chance to rotten a little more. They rode with the windows rolled down as Simon maneuvered through New York City traffic. Simon didn't even have to think about the turns, the way to Clary's was so familiar to him. The van wasn't even at a full stop when Jocelyn -who had been waiting outside- jumped on Clary, dragging her into the house.

"Hey Luke." Simon said staring after them.

"Hi." Luke looked like Luke; Jocelyn sounded like Jocelyn nothing odd here.

"So how grounded is Clary?" Simon asked as Jocelyn's voice reached the street.

"I don't want an excuse." She yelled.

"It's not!" Clary screamed back.

"Oh I'd say at lest a week." Luke answered.

"You are telling me you couldn't find anyone with a phone!?"

"You know…" Simon said, "There really was no way to contact you guys."

"Really?" Luke looked unconvinced.

"Yes, and we got back as soon as we could." Simon was going to have to right a formal letter to all the Comic Book writers that made him believe that time froze when you left your time frame. What is crap!

"I don't want anymore of this Clarissa just go to your room!"

Simon heard a door slam. "Why would we have made you guys worry like that on purpose?"

Luke sighed and looked up at the apartment. "She'll calm down soon, it's just…" He turned to walk Simon back to the van. "After everything that's happened this was not the best time to disappear."

"We didn't mean too."

"I believe you kid. You better get home to your own mother, she's probably-"

"She's scared to hell of me remember?"

Luke looked startled for a moment then his face darkened as he remembered. "Oh right." He looked at Simon with sympathy.

"Well, see you latter Luke. Oh, and make sure she…" he motioned to the apartment, "doesn't whip Clary to hard, she… we all had no control over any of it."

Clary:

She didn't blame her mother for exploding but the fact that she didn't believe Clary's story made her madder then ever. It wasn't as though Clary was the type of teen to sneak out in the middle of the night and come back wasted the next morning. No, she had a good reason way she hadn't called… phones hadn't been invented yet!

"Look I'm not saying what happened was okay but I talked to Simon and it sound's like they really couldn't get a hold of us." She heard Luke say.

"She could have emailed…" Her mother started then Luke reminded Jocelyn that she didn't have an email address or a computer.

"Look," Luke said softly, "She sounded very worried on the phone when she called from the Institute, what ever happened it wasn't her fault."

_You tell her, Luke! _

"What am I supposed to do just let it go?" her mother snapped back.

"I think you need to come to terms with the fact that your daughter is a shadowhunter, and there will be times where she goes off and can't tell us about it. I remember plenty of times you disappeared for a day or two." She heard her mother snort. "Jocelyn, weather you like it or not Clary is part of the shadow world and you're going to have to treat her as such."

Jace:

Jace was confined to his room and his adoptive mother warned him that if he jumped out the window she'd bar it and he'd get a longer sentence. Jace had no intentions of jumping out the window. He just lay in bed wearing nothing but his boxers, looking up at the ceiling and thinking of his father… his real one. He twirled his dagger in his hand and wondered what Stephen would have thought of his ancestor William Herondale. Most of all he wondered if he could use William as a reference when wondering what his father was like. _Was he just as stuck up? _Jace wondered thinking of the way Will had treated Clary and Isabelle on the mission with the demon. _Was he just as protective?_ He thought of the way Will had stud guard at the door to Jem's room when he had fallen ill. _Was he just as honorable?_ He could almost still feel Will's hand as he shook it and the look of sincerity on his face when he said he hope their paths would cross again before he turned to shake Clary's hand. He had to admit; meeting William Herondale made Jace feel a little more at ease with claming the name of Herondale. Amatis had given him Stephen's family ring but he never felt right wearing it now he rummaged through his sock drawer looking for his biological fathers ring. He found it tucked under a pair of socks. The harons sparkled from the polish Jace had put on the ring a few days before. He slipped the ring on his figure. It was too big and slipped off from around his knuckles. Another piece of the mystery that was Stephen Heronale was solved… he had big hands.

Izzy:

Isabelle sat in front of the mirror in her room and started taking off the old make-up that she had applied four days ago. _Got to love warlock make-up, it stayed on forever!_ She thought. She let her face stay plane as she went into the bathroom to wash. She was almost surprised when the water flowed out of the tap. She laughed a little at herself and proceeded to washing her face. Her soap smelled good, like lavender and lemon. She whipped her face with a towel and in the mirror she saw Delun. She spun around but all that was with her in the bathroom was a white towel hanging from the shower rode. Isabelle took a deep breath and held it before letting it back out. She wondered if she could Google her and what she would find if she did. What would she type into the search engine 'Delun, dead princess of Wales'? She wondered if her little ghost was still there, trapped inside that castle or it was set free when Mae'r Cysgodol was killed? The only way she'd ever know is by finding that castle again, if it was even still standing. She had half a crazy mind to do it too. She laughed quietly to herself and sat on her bed. It felt so good to be back in her room, in her clothes, in her home. But she didn't like that she was grounded. She was planning her escape to go see Simon when her door opened and her mother came in.

"Coming to make sure I'm still here?" Izzy asked.

"No, dinners ready and you're going to want to get down there before your brothers eat it all." Her mother informed her, "Jace is already on his third helping and he keeps muttering how happy he is that it's not potatos."

Isabelle laughed, "I'll be right down." When her mother left the room Izzy kicked away a bra from off her laptop and opened it on her lap. It came to life and she pulled up the internet search engine and typed, 'Princess Delun of Wales.' The computer told her it was loading. 'Your search –Princess Delun of Wales- did not match any documents. Suggestions: Try different keywords.'

Isabelle slammed the lid shut.

Alec:

They were all just as grounded as they had been the day before. It was mid day when Alec knocked on Jace's door. "I need help sneaking out."

Jace didn't look surprised. "How long are you going to be gone?"

Alec shrugged.

"Alright I'll cover for you." He said, "Tell 20th century Magnus that I said hi."

Alec walked the same path he had thousands of times and this time felt no different. He had to force himself not to run, or he tried to at lest... he saw the building and let out a breathe he had not known he had been holding. Slowly he walked up to the door. _Magnus_ was written over the buzzer. _Does that mean everything's alright_? He asked himself as he pressed the button. _Please, please, please_...

"Who's there?" Magnus's voice came through the speaker.

Alec had to force himself to breath. "Alec..." He stuttered, "A-Alec Lightwood."

"Alec Lightwood?" Magnus sounded confused.

Alec doubled over, his hands on his knees. Breathe in and out he commanded himself.

Magnus didn't know him; he didn't know who Alec Lightwood was. _You can do this, you can ﬁgure this out. _

"What are we dating again?" Magnus's voice came from the speaker and Alec froze. "Alec Lightwood!" Magnus scoffed, "Don't you have a key sweetheart or do you need me to buzz you in?"

"I…" He stuttered. "I need you to buzz me in."

The loud familiar sound of Magnus's door buzzer sounded. With shaking legs Alec ascended the stairs. Magnus stood on the top step wearing one of the shirts Alec had left there and zebra print pants.

"I heard about what happened." He said. "I didn't think I'd see you for a few days at lest I was told you were grounded."

"I snuck out." Alec whispered. All his muscles were still tense. _Everything's alright,_ he tried to tell himself but his body wouldn't respond to the glorious news.

Magnus smiled. "Aw… you snuck out to see me?" He ran his fingers through Alec's hair. "God aren't you just the sweetest thing." Magnus kissed him and Alec melted. After a hundred years Magnus lost none of his kissing skills. Alec pulled away and smiled at his warlock.

"I love you." He said, "You remember that don't you."

Magnus gave him an odd look before nodding. "I remember."

The End

* * *

I hope you all like my story! Thank you for sticking with it and continuing to read til the end.


	41. Thanks to all the readers!

I want to thank everyone who wrote a review (and especially those who wrote more then one like Jadiee, Depthsofthemind, blazzer12, and Clace13 along with others) for Magnus's Portal. They were a joy to read and I thought about quieting the story a few times and I wouldn't have continued without them so thank you so much! Especially those who had ideas and sent them to me it helped me with a lot of the story!

fantasycrossoverqueen 5/29/13 . chapter 24

OMG! it was amazing, so amazing that I have decided that this will be the first fanfiction i download onto my kindle!  
(and that's saying alot considering the time it takes to do something like that ;))  
eeeeppp! I'm so excited for the sequel, please post it soon.  
:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D

blazzer12 6/27/13 . chapter 40

OMG! I loved it! I can't believe it's over, I love that you ended with Magnus and Alec. I can't wait for future stories!

Depthsofthemind 6/27/13 . chapter 40

Probably the only story I have ever read on fanfiction that never once turned suckish. You should be proud.

Dear Simon  
Church is not demented. The reason he is still alive is that he is simply that awesome.  
sincerly watch your tounge

35 chapters in and this story hasn't disappointed me once. Become an author when you are an adult; you have real talent for fantasy adventure.

Isabella234534 6/25/13 . chapter 37

nicely written and the whole modern dialog was so cool their confusion  
hahaha, you should write a comment about them missing jeans and stuff and how inconvinient long skirt are for everyday life that should open a debat with tess and isabelle and clary i mean tessa is a proper i bet you she would never dream of the advantages of such things as pants and will and jem will have a more sexist point of view but that is because of the era so are you finishing the story or is their still more to come.

ArellaWhite 6/21/13 . chapter 34

The part about Will nearly falling asleep on Jem's shoulder got me...their relationship is just wonderful.

Littlemacca 5/28/13 . chapter 21

Hello, I really love your story and I haven't reviewed yet because I wanted to tell you my opinion when I've already finished reading all you have published (and I haven't yet). But the thing is I have read your note (in chapter 21) and I want to say that I think you should post the chapters you have already written and then write the end of the story while you don't have the Internet conexion. I really love your story (like I've said before) and I prefer you finish it with time to do a worth ending to this story that I think is amazing and so original. But if you could finish it well before you lose the Internet, that will be so fine. So do whatever you want, whatever you think it would be better to the story :)

tessacarstairsherondale 5/24/13 . chapter 16

Absolutely loved it! Amazing work. i love clary and jace in this too and how they are actually worried about jem. loving Tessa,Jem and Will as charlotte is just the cutest! Thankyou for updating so often. keep it up .

Guest 5/23/13 . chapter 14

I the idea of Jem and Jace playing together! Keep up the amazing job!  
Wonderful author cookies for you! (::) (::) (::)

bookreadergemz 5/22/13 . chapter 11

I found your story maybe a week ago and I can just say, I'm really loving it! Some writers don't update there storys very offten so we have to wait a very long time for even a tiny chapter to come out, but you keep feeding us chapters and updating your story! I'm alway really exctied for the new chapters!  
Your a really good writer, I love how your story is buliding and that all your charcters are funny. I expecilly love the Malec senes!  
Thank you!

Jadiee 5/22/13 . chapter 11

Love it!

Rose 5/18/13 . chapter 6

Love this story! Want to read more :-)

ClockworkAngel2010 5/17/13 . chapter 6

It's great, thank you. Happy Birthday :)

Clace13 5/17/13 . chapter 6

Happy birthday! Love this story still! Thank you for continuing it and keeping it great :D

Wowza15 5/17/13 . chapter 6

It's my bday to so happy bday to both of us I love this chapter next one I think you should have made a day or two go by then from magnus pov have him ask camille questions from his past and her not know anything about it and him thinking she is the only person he told but even she doesn't remember so he begins to wonder how alec knows then like alec be like in a bar or something being kissed by someone and magnus finds him there and gets all jealous and in a fight

VictoriaCecilia 5/17/13 . chapter 6

Happy Birthday! Hope you have a wonderful day! xx

Clace13 5/12/13 . chapter 1

His is good! I hope you continue:)

ForTheGloryOfSparta 6/27/13 . chapter 40

Congratulations on finishing! I loved it! Well done!

Hands down favorite chapter so far. The emotion between Magnus and Alec was balanced absolutely wonderfully by the humor you through in their. I loved the violent, emotional reaction from Magnus in the beginning, I thought it was perfect. A thousand times well done. Can't wait for more!

Guest 5/20/13 . chapter 9

Loved the chapters! I absolutely cannot wait for more!

animaniac-aizel012 5/18/13 . chapter 7

Are they going to question why Simon hasn't burned in the sunlight since the sun was high up when they came? Great chapter! :)

Thank you all! J J J J


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